AN: I write mini-drabbles on tumblr sometimes. This is one I felt big enough to put into this collection. Writing is slow these days, sorry.

Amber & Jasmine

8. Melody

XX

Kaoru stretched her legs, heels coming to rest on the surface of the plastic table that took up the majority of her apartment balcony. The sun was slowly warming the surface, making light reflect off the beads of dew that had settled on her potted plants. She smiled, breathing in the aroma of her freshly brewed tea and waited patiently.

Five, ten, maybe fifteen minutes passed, and just as she was considering going inside to get another cup, she heard the sliding door just above her whoosh open.

It took her several seconds to realize she was holding her breath, and she internally laughed at the notion that she might be heard breathing of all things, especially over the distant sound of cars and morning city life. Or maybe she knew that she wanted as little interference as possible.

Her lips were stuck upward in a smile as she heard the soft sounds of someone shuffling above, papers adjusting and the snaps on a case of sort opening. She swirled her tea, taking another sip.

It was hard to be patient, but she knew she would be well-rewarded, and surely after another two excruciating minutes (she might have counted), she heard the first draw of horse hair across steel.

The melody was familiar, a warm up practice which went through all the strings and notes, and yet it was absolutely stunning to her. She could close her eyes and picture his fingers pressing along the neck, and the graceful arm that pulled the bow across the strings.

He probably had his hair pulled back, as she had seen sometimes in the past, but she much preferred to picture it down in a loose ponytail, with the morning sun catching off the red like leaves in Autumn.

By this point he had moved on from warm-ups to a composed piece, and Kaoru moved her head with the music, eyes closed and cooling dregs of tea forgotten. She found herself lost in worlds in her mind, brought on by his beautiful performance.

The second piece was just as wonderful as the first until it was rudely interrupted by the Angry Birds theme song playing over her phone.

Kaoru flailed, almost falling out of her chair as she fished around for her cell phone in her pocket and the music above her came to an abrupt stop. How could she have forgotten to turn off the ringer on her phone, and more importantly why was Sanosuke calling her before ten in the morning?!

Face redder than the red hair of the virtuoso above her, Kaoru managed to get the horrible noise to stop, and only barely managed to not throw the phone over the balcony. She pressed a hand to her hot face and squeezed her eyes shut as she heard shuffling above her.

After a moment, a pleasant voice drifted down from the floor above. "My apologies. I didn't realize I would be interrupting anyone's morning, that I did not."

Oh, way to make her feel even worse. Running a hand over her face, Kaoru bit back a groan of frustration, and instead replied, "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I thought I had my phone on silent."

There was a pause, and then... "You were listening to me?" The voice sounded... pleased.

She really wanted to melt into the floor, embarrassment soaring. "Uh... yes."

"Oh..." Another long, awkward (at least for her) silence. "Then do you mind if I continue?"

She cleared her throat. "Ah...N-no. Not at all."

"Great!" She could hear him shuffling things around above her, probably getting back in position to pick up his playing. But then... "Oh...um, are you the girl who is always in the coffee shop across the street on Friday nights?"

Kaoru's throat went dry. Oh crap, how did he make that connection? He must have seen her walk up to this floor, or maybe someone told him, but why would he be asking and... "Uh... Maybe? I mean...I do go there a lot... I mean, not just Friday nights..." Except only Friday nights because those were the nights he played. "But I'm sure I'm not the only girl who goes over there in this building..." Oh, could this get any more awkward?

There was another long moment of near-painful silence where Kaoru was pretty sure he could hear her heart beating in her chest, and she almost jumped when he spoke again.

"I don't know. I would have to see, that I would. Care to join me for breakfast and satisfy my curiosity?"

Kaoru's jaw dropped. Was he... asking her out on a date? Or was he... did he... She was so confused! Was she supposed to say yes? Would she regret saying yes? Was it simply just breakfast and him wanting to see if he could put a face with a voice? Was she reading too much into it? Why did Sanosuke call her?! This was all his fault! "Uh...Sure?"

Down on the sidewalk across the street Sanosuke dropped his phone back into his pocket, grin wide on his face. And to think Kenshin had not believed him when Sano had informed him the girl who had caught his eye in the coffee shop lived below him and listened to him practice every morning.

Though he was going to have to have a talk with Kaoru, later. Angry Birds... really?

XX

AN: Comments always welcome. -Rain