Very short first meeting AU! If you liked these, I'd really be happy about reviews ^-^


day 2: gratitude


With a critical last look into the big mirror, Lucy ridded herself of the remaining bit of clothing covering her body and stepped into the running shower.

The day couldn't get much worse.

The only thing that was missing was an unfortunate step that would send her flying onto the slippery shower tiles, leaving her with a broken bone and no one around to hear her screams. When nothing of the sort happened, she was almost surprised.

Holding her face beneath the stream, Lucy let the sounds of gurgling water drown out everything around her. She didn't know how long she stood like this, losing her sense of time as she focused of the sensation of hot water running down her tired body.

" If I should staaaaay…."

Lucy snapped out of her little reverie when a loud voice hollered through the tiles. In disbelief, she turned her head to the wall, that stood as stubborn and solid as ever. But not thick enough to stop the sounds from the apartment next door from coming through, apparently. Now that she concentrated, she could make out water running on the other side aswell, mingling with her own shower.

This had to be… her neighbour?

His voice was deep, loud, emotional - and definitely out of tune.

And was he singing Whitney Houston?!

"I would only be in your waaaaay. So I'll go, but I know - I'll think of you every step of the waaaay."

His voice even broke on the emotional parts. Lucy couldn't help it - she started laughing. Alone, under her shower. The first time on that stupid, dreary day.

The sound must have made it over to her unsuspecting entertainer, because suddenly he interrupted himself.

"Hello?" he called, confusion clear in his voice. When he was not singing, Lucy decided, she liked it even more. It was a little rough, even scratchy as he raised it."

For a short moment, in which her heart gave a leap, Lucy considered remaining silent. But she had been missing some social interaction all day, and it was already bad, so she would take the risk of making it worse - or infinitely better.

"Oh my god," she called back, certain she would reach him, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Just– uh. Continue?"

For a moment it remained quiet, with only the sound of falling water keeping her company. But then, to her infinite relief, he spoke again.

"Aw, you gotta join in then!"

"What?!"

"You heard me! We gotta do it together or it won't be fair!"

"Uhh.. I - I guess!" she called back, asking herself what the hell she was agreeing to, and what in all the worlds she was doing in the first place.

Having a casual conversation through her apartment wall. With a stranger.

Maybe she had been wrong.

Maybe her day could get better.

Sudden gratitude flooded her; gratitude for a faceless singer with a weakness for emotional love songs. Lucy smiled.

He apparently decided to take the first step, because now his voice came booming back at full force.

"Aaaaaannnddd IIII will alwaaayyyys…."

"…looooveeee…" she joined in, unable to stop a massive grin from working onto her face. She didn't even care that she probably sounded even worse than him. She giggled at the thought that she was about to confess her "love" to a man she knew nothing about.

"y-" she began, but was suddenly cut short.

"Fooooooood!" he all but screamed, voice cracking at the highest tone.

Lucy lost it.

She started laughing, accidentally swallowing some water, but unable to even care about her coughing. She laughed until her chest ached in the best of ways, resting a hand against the cool tiles to stabilize her shaking limbs. Only when she started to gasp for breath did her laughter slowly die down, reduced to small guffaws.

"Yo," her mystery man called, "You okay?"

"Couldn't be better!" she answered, and suddenly realized that she really meant it. He had sung the sadness and frustration out of her like it was nothing. Wiping some dripping strands of hair out of her face, she smiled. "Thankyou."

Her tone must have changed considerably, because he remained silent for a bit. But not for long.

"Wanna come over?" he sounded a little unsure all of a sudden. "I made too much pasta and, uh, if you want… I'm a little bored right now."

Lucy's grin almost reached her ears.

She couldn't wait to find out what her dedicated shower performer with the deep voice looked like. Or, she thought with a little mischief, if he could cook.

Either way, her day would end infinitely better than it had started, she was sure. She felt the sudden overwhelming urge to thank him.

"Give me five minutes."