He was there again. Sitting on the sea wall watching the ocean the way he'd been every morning that week, bare feet swinging (she'd never seen him wearing shoes), blonde hair tousled by the breeze. He was always there, yet she never knew where he'd come from. She didn't know where he lived, how far he came to get to the beach...she knew almost nothing about him save for his name and the fact that he'd been Andrew's childhood friend. But he was always there, always smiling as though happy to see her - most days he even bought her the coffee she usually drank in the morning. He really was like Andrew - the kindness and generosity were the same, as was the hint of loneliness...but there was something different about him. He has an air of sadness about him that Andrew doesn't - and there's something else... She'd asked him not long after they'd first met why he spent so much time on the beach. He told me so much about the creatures and things he's found on the sand and in the ocean...he sounded so enthusiastic, like a little boy. It was...cute.

"Hey.." Hearing her greeting Mwu glanced up, and his handsome face lit up in a delighted smile. He waved cheerily and patted the wall beside him for her to come sit down. She hadn't intended to see him again after that first day, yet the very next morning he'd been waiting for her with a cup of coffee and a smile. And it had been that way ever since. "Good morning!"

"Morning." He handed her a foam cup of coffee as she sat down beside him, and the two of them watched the ocean together. The surfers were out in force, making the most of the early morning waves with their girls watching in admiration.

"Can you do that?"

He glanced at her quizzically. "Do what?"

"That," She pointed out to sea, to the people in the waves. "Surf." He chuckled, the merry sound echoing over the quiet sands.

"Actually, I can. I just don't very often. Why, would you come and watch me if I did?"

"Do I look like one of them?" Murrue answered with a raised eyebrow, tipping her head toward the bronzed beach bunnies at the shoreline.

"You're much prettier than they are." he replied softly, with a smile quite unlike any she'd seen from him. It was gentle, fond...and made her blush fiercely for a reason she couldn't explain. Taking a deep breath to calm her suddenly racing heart, Murrue gazed down at her hands. He'd never tried to hide that he was interested in her - the very first time she'd seen him he'd been staring at her, after all - but she hadn't expected him to say something like that.

"Sorry.." he murmured awkwardly, a slight pink flush to his cheeks. "Didn't mean to say that..."

She shook her head and set down her coffee cup. "I should be going.."

He sighed, expression so disappointed she had to look away again. "Then here," he said quietly, reaching into his pocket. Taking her hand in his, he placed something in her palm and closed her fingers over it. "What I said - I meant it..."

When she was out of sight of the beach she slowly uncurled her hand. There in her palm was a seashell, a tiny spiral one mottled with delicate pink and polished to a sheen by the pounding of countless waves. It was beautiful. Feeling an odd warmth in her chest, Murrue smiled and slipped it into her pocket before carrying on to work.

"Morning!" Hearing her friend's cheerful call, she grinned and waved. Erica and the others were already there...and on her desk... She sighed. In a vase of water was a bouquet of red roses, all glossy dark leaves and velvety petals. They were lovely, obviously expensive, and it was as sweet a gesture as always, yet instead of making her smile...they made her uncomfortable.

"What is it, sweetie?" Erica asked, noting her sombre expression. "Something wrong?" Murrue didn't reply, just stared at the flowers, one small hand unconsciously reaching into her pocket.

"That's the first time I've ever seen you look sad about those roses.."

The younger woman smiled slightly for a moment, then her expression became pensive again. Something was clearly troubling her. Erica smiled herself, and came to stand beside her at the window. Murrue's gaze was trained to the middle distance, as though she was thinking deeply about something, and she seemed to have forgotten her friend was there.

"You should tell him."

"Tell him what?" Her soft voice sounded weary and sad, defeated almost. It was very unlike her. Erica sighed and placed an arm around the woman's shoulders.

"That you don't feel that way about him."

Murrue smiled again, just a little. "I don't know how I feel about anything anymore.."

"Close your eyes."

"Huh?"

"Go on." Obviously confused, she nevertheless did as she was told. Erica nodded. "When you got the roses last week, how did you feel?"

"I was happy." was the quiet answer. "They're my favourite flower.."

"So why did you feel different today?"

"I...don't know."

"Then tell me something. When you got the roses last week and all the times before, did you feel happy about the flowers, or the one who sent you them?"

Murrue opened her eyes in surprise, looking up at her friend as though she'd never considered this before. "I.."

"Take some time to think about that, okay? Don't jump without working out how you feel.."

--

The beach was empty. As was the case every evening, the people enjoying the warm sand and sea had gone home - even the drink vendor had packed up his cart for the night. Normally he would be there on the sea wall, the orange light of the sunset reflecting from blonde curls. But tonight...he wasn't there. Nobody was. Surprised at the intensity of her disappointment, she sat by herself on the wall for a while, before slipping off her shoes and walking down to the water's edge. The view was peaceful and somewhat calming, yet she felt unhappy for a reason she didn't understand. Without her realising, a tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, then another.

"Hey.." Hearing the familiar voice she glanced up in surprise. He was standing a little way away, having appeared seemingly out of nowhere, just like always. "I didn't know if you'd be here tonight... hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied softly, surprised by how much better she felt now he was there. "Just had a lot to think about today.."

"Because of what I said?"

She didn't answer for a moment, and he felt his heart sink. He'd said it without meaning to, thinking aloud (you did a lot of that when you lived alone). She was far more beautiful than any of those other girls - but he hadn't meant to say something like that after having only known her for a week. "I am sorry.."

"Did you mean it? What you said?"

"Huh?"

"What you said this morning.." Murrue was looking back out to sea, delicate face wearing an unreadable expression. "Did you mean it?"

"Yes."

She smiled, a genuine, beautiful smile that almost took his breath away. "Thank you."

He stared at her dumbly for a few minutes, mind suddenly unable to process even simple thoughts. "Uhh...you're welcome..." Wow...

After she'd gone he sat alone on the sand for a while, azure eyes gazing at nothing. She hadn't mentioned what it was she'd been worried about, but him being there had seemed to make her feel better. And he'd earned a smile...which had made his knees go weak. He'd decided then and there what he was going to do. Andy's my friend, he can give her everything I can't...but I can't just sit back and let him have her...

--

"What do you think I should do?"

If her room-mate knew, she wasn't telling. Instead she licked a paw and used it to wash her ear. Murrue had to smile. "Some help you are." Flopping onto her bed she stared at the ceiling, determined to think this through. "Let's start from the beginning. Andrew's nice, he's funny, and if I chose him I'd probably never have to work again. But..." She sighed. "Erica told me to think it through. I do like Andrew, but I can't say I like him that way. I've thought about it all today, and all I can feel is friendship. If I chose him, it wouldn't be fair on either of us.." Samantha looked up at that and mewed, making the woman grin again. "You think so too?" The Burmese cat mewed again, hopping onto the bed and curling up on her stomach.

"And Mwu. He's nice too, and funny, and really sweet. I like spending time with him...so much so I don't want to leave for work. But I don't know anything about him aside from the fact that he and Andrew were friends. I need to learn more about him before I decide. Think that's a good idea?"

Another mew. "Me too." Fishing in her pocket she pulled out the seashell, letting it shine in the moonlight, a soft smile coming to her lips at the odd warmth in her chest. "And I get to learn.."

"This weekend, will you meet me here? You asked me why I like it here so much...so I want to show you. Bring a swimsuit.."

"I'll learn. Then I can choose.."

--

( Ya, I know, most people do prefer Tiger with Aisha. But we saw in GSD that Tiger liked Murrue, ne? So since it's an AU (and my story), I'm exploring that :smiles:

please read and review! )