Misconceptions [Private w/ Al]

[Bartok Evergreen]

Bartok listened to her story quietly. From how she spoke, she had already faced remembering the scenes and the results of it. She was, more or less, at peace with it all. So horrible for such a young girl to go through. Her damn face of all things... And the rest of the scars seemed to be from that one incident. He could only imagine the claws that would be scratching at her and holding her down while attacked her small, innocent head.

It brought more tears to his eyes, but Bartok was smiling at the end. The water welled up but didn't fall. He put an arm to her shoulder. "I'm proud of where you are too. You've come a long way, and I admire you." And he would stay there, 'looking' at her where he hoped her eyes would be for a long moment. Then he would clear his throat and shake his head a little.

"Ok, away from the sad subject. Your question now, go ahead and shoot." He said while crossing one leg over the other and leaning back.

[Al Ciendra]

Al's smile went from melancholy to happy as she heard Bartok praise her, a light blush was on her cheek.
"Thank you, Bartok, again It's really nice to have someone I can talk to this about."
Al then shifted a little, grabbing a pillow and laying down with her head now propped up by it, until she shifted again, instead turning on her stomach with her lower legs in the air, with her arms and chin on the pillow, now facing Bartok directly in that position.
"A question for the man the myth the legend Bartok Evergreen, huh ?"
Al tilted her head to the side, her ears flopping down too.
She was still thinking, as she was looking him up and down her green moonlit eye tracing along his features, until it gleamed the same as her fangs exposed by a grin.
"Why do you flirt with so many girls ? I mean, I can't judge you, girls are pretty hot! But wouldn't it start to feel disingenuous for the girls that you flirt with ?"
Al asked, she was just staring at his face to see his facial expression, she hoped this question was not too personal.

[Bartok Evergreen]

He smiled and waited for her so finally get into a comfortable position ans ask her question. It honestly too him by surprise. He blinked and thought for a long moment. He wasn't like some people who feigned ignorance of their flirtations. Bartok was well aware of what he did a lot and admitted as such.

"Why do I flirt?" He asked outloud. Why did he flirt so much? "I... It's sort of something I've always done. I've always just been enamoured by women, their social graces, their adorableness but that's... that doesn't explain the flirting..." He put a hand to his chin. He was curiours too, honestly. Not that he would stop, it was far too much fun. Maybe that was an answer?

"I suppose it's because I find it really fun. I get to meet a lot of cute girls that way, get to feel their energies and when they aren't the type to blow up into anger because I compliment thier hairdo, they normally end up more cheerful and happy." He felt like he was on a role here. "And I don't reuse one-liners or songs or anything. That would be disengenuous. I tailor my words to each girl with respect to a skill they have or something I've come to learn about them. I get cheesy at times, but sometimes that works more in my favour." Then he thought a bit more.

"Although I'm not disingenuine to the many girls I flirt with, there are some who don't see it that way. Back at Signal I was pretty much known as a heart-breaker and a home-wrecker. So many girls risked their relationships with their boyfriends to sneak a kiss to me, then got angry with me when they found out others did the same. Some went way overboard." He sighed, remembering a specific time. "There was this girl who had snuck into my room and got completely-" He stopped himself. "That's a longer story for another time." He waved a hand and clicked his tongue, seeing the posture she was in somewhat.

"So yeah, because it's fun and girls, for the most part, really enjoy it. If anything, it's free compliments to them. Or, at least I think they do. That's the feedback I get." He turned to her. "You look extra cute with your head turned like that, you know?" He said with a smile.

[Al Ciendra]

Well what Bartok said certainly made sense to her, it was really nice to receive compliments, she still felt that it could come across as disingenuous rather soon, but that was all just a matter of sitting down and talking, as for that heartbreaker bit ?
Al had a hard time believing this due to how prone Bartok's tactics were to fail, but maybe people in signal were just different from the ones from beacon, plus she had only seen Bartok try to flirt with girls that were anything BUT normal.
Maybe it would work some time.
Well, it did kinda work on her, as much as she did not want to admit it directly.
But Bartok could probably see the slight blush on her cheeks.
Al covered her mouth and cheeks with her pillow, just her nose and eyes peeking above it.
"Well, I can't really question you on your flirting methods, considering how little experience I have with it, maybe I should learn from you...though maybe not, no offense to you, but I just don't have your confidence."
Al revealed her mouth again, showing him a small smile, she did kind of envy Bartok in this, she had never met anyone with as much blind confidence as him, pun sort of intended.
"You gave me quite an answer, but I don't really have a lot of other questions for you, so uuuuh...you got anything else you'd like to do before I turn in for the night ?"
Al asked tilting her head in that cute fashion Bartok commented on before, it was habit, but she also did it since Bartok liked it, and this was gonna be one of the very race instances where he would be able to see her.

[Bartok Evergreen]

With the near-pitch darkness and how close they were, Bartok did in fact see her bury her face into her pillow, save her nose and eyes. It was still incredibly blurred, but he knew what her face looked like from memorizing it when he saw it before. He could imagine how cute she was like that. How did girls manage to just be that way, almost all the time? So damn appealing, almost every second they breathed. He could not, however, make out the blush on her cheeks. Though from past experiences and knowing how girls tended to react, he suspected she was blushing.

Wanted to learn, huh? Didn't have the confidence? Wanted to know if he had anything left? Made that same cute turn of her head that he just said he liked? After recounting and remembering his earlier exploits at Signal, Bartok had gotten back into his normal sly mood. He had an idea, and... honestly, he wanted to see what she would do about it.

"Actually, one last thing." He said, rubbing the back of his neck and scooching right next to her. "I know this is sensitive and you can say no, but... may I touch your face?" He asked, eyebrows raised in an expression of sincerity.

[Al Ciendra]

Al raised her eye brows as he spoke up, what else could it be ?
She was a tad suprised, he wanted to touch her face after it upset him this much, well she did not mind, she had no feeling in the right side of her face so he could touch it all he wanted.
"Sure go ahead, just be careful."
Al said as she got up from her laying position, kneeling infront of Bartok.
"I thought my face saddend you ? Whats with the sudden curiousity ?"
Al asked with a bit of a smile, regardless of his answer this was bound to be interesting.

[Bartok Evergreen]

Bartok reached out with a hand, "I'll be careful." He said, and placed it on her shoulder. Al was a wonderful girl. She was adorable, funny, light hearted, and easy-going. Plus she had been through trauma. Terrible trauma that would have crippled other people into staying in their rooms and cowering in fear at the memories. But Al stepped up. She got through that and became stronger, kinder, more determined to help better the world. And all of that was far more attractive to Bartok than any head tilt, any laugh, any reply to his flirtations. Dare he say he, through this one night, gained actual feelings for her? It went against his normal nature, but...

He leaned in and touched her face with his lips. It wasn't any light kiss on the mouth, no peck or hesitant movement. He moved into her, pushing his lips to hers in a deep kiss that would push her head back a little, his other hand moving past her to support himself on the bed. If she didn't object, he'd keep his lips there far as long as felt comfortable, reveling in her soft, untouched lips and hot skin. Then he'd part from her, only to give her another, shorter, deep kiss. Then he'd put his forehead to hers, parting from her lips and breathing heavily.

"You wanted to learn?" He asked in a sultry voice, scarlet eyes burrowing into hers.

[Al Ciendra]

Wait what was he doing ?
He did not lay his hand on her face but her shoulder, Al just smirked and gemtly reached to grab it hoping to help Bartok find her face, even though he probably already felt the fabric of her top.

Then he leaned in close and caught her entirely by surprise.
Her face turned beet red as his lips touched her's, the wolf ears atop her head stood up straight and rigid and her hand clenched tight around his wrist instead of grabbing it gently.
But...her innitial shock faded and Al calmed down, though her cheeks were still reddend Al loosend her grip and laid both her hands on his shoulders, she did not pull him in but she did kiss him back, unlike Bartok she had no expiernce in this but Al tried her best non the less, leaning forward and gently, even hesitantly pressing her lips to his.

As they both parted Al just nodded, her blush still present and her heart beating quickly in her chest.

[Bartok Evergreen]

--Some time later--

Bartok awoke under the sheets of Al's bed. They hadn't moved from their curled together positions, Al's head by his chest. He could tell it was early by the small amount of light coming in through the window, only mildly hurting his eyes. If the sun had risen he'd be crying from the pain of glimpsing that, even reflected off of the carpet. He pet her head softly, about to drift off into sleep again until he realized that if he slept for too long, he would have to leave Al's room while others were out and about. It might be best if he left quietly now before others got up.

So after a few more pets and reminiscing over the previous night and it's conclusion of asking Al to be his girlfriend, Bartok began to shift and get out of bed as carefully and quietly as he could. Almost immedietely he felt Al clutching onto him with a small whine on her lips. He shooshed her, pet her head a few more times and tucked her in to sleep some more.

He didn't want to snap his fingers or click his tongue to look around, that might have awoken Al, so he just searched for his clothes with his feet. He couldn't find his underwear, so he just put on his pants without them, put on his goggles to return him to the world of darkness and sound, and left her room.

Only at his room did he undress once more and flop into his own bed. He had had many girls to kiss and romance in previous years, and sure he'd had girlfriends before, though for the most part he remained a desirable bachelor, he hadn't had someone like Al before. Someone who gave him his own reasons for being at Beacon. He smiled and nuzzeled into his pillow. If only it was Al's soft hair.

[Al Ciendra]

Al was barely conscious as Bartok left, she had idly held onto the feeling of warmth and comfort from last night, she searched for hin a little, sleepily whispering his name, but she only grasped her blanket so she snuggled with it instead.
Yet besides that, Al remained quiet, letting Bartok sneak out of her room with no further disturbance as the faunus girl just continued to sleep peacefully.

A few hours later, as she could hear the first few students leaving their dorms and talking among themself, Al woke up, her ears shaking as she lazily opend her eyes and raised her head.
Al sat up groggily in her bed, she felt wierd, groggy yet also really good.
Then she remembered, a blush was on her face as she recalled last nights events, yet she smiled, squeezing and pulling at her blanket as she giggled in joy.
It was still a lite hard to believe how daring she had been in this situation but she was proud of herself and happy with her choice.

With the brightest smile on her scarred face Al jumped out of her bed, having to grab her table to keep herself from falling, but then quickly getting dressed with a skip in her shaky step.

Now nothing at Beacon could scare her she had overcome the greatest of challanges afterall!
...well maybe exams.
But as she grabbed her mask Al paused for a bit, should she ?
...no.
One at a time.
With a sigh she placed the metal plate on her face and tightend it to her head, a smile yet hidden underneath.