Cadenza (Persona 3, Mitsuru/Akihiko, PG)

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Title- Cadenza
Author- fireun
Rating- PG
Word Count- 494
Prompt- Persona 3, Mitsuru/Akihiko - Music/singing - he had a voice that could melt ice,

but he never sang where anyone could hear. Or so he thought



Sound carried best on the warm, muggy nights that left clothing sticking to skin and demanded every window be opened in a desperate hope of catching a stray breeze. With windows open Mitsuru didn’t have to wander rooms, head tilted ever so slightly as she listened intently for the first hint of her guilty pleasure.

She leaned against the windowsill, manicured nails resting lightly on her cheeks as her chin settled against palms, ignoring the slightly stale smell of standing water and old trash that wafted in with the evening air and the rough feel of worn wood on her elbows. Just before dinner, when the rest of the team was out and involved in a myriad of activities, when Akihiko would finally relax…

It started as a hum that was more felt than heard, a pleasant buzz in the background of the lights and noise of the city. It was relaxing as a cat’s purr, and Mitsuru smiled, lips curving up in an emotion far more human than any of her compatriots were used to seeing. As Akihiko became engrossed in the little rituals, repairs to his gloves, cleaning and polishing knuckles, he became less conscious of possible listeners. His voice soared. What it lacked in training it made up in emotion, and Mitsuru was less interested in words and more intent on sound and sensation.

Her back lost a bit of its posture, relaxing into a slouch she would usually find unbearably slovenly. An accidental angel in the middle of all the mess, Akihiko sang a quiet contentment that was so very rare, and Mitsuru soaked it up. She needed to remember this simplicity, to soften the blood and the bruises, snaps and snarls that were far more common.

A phone rang, and as Akihiko’s voice faded it took Mitsuru a moment to realize it was her own. She fumbled it from her nightstand, and flushed as she noted the caller.

She took too long to answer, and Akihiko made the connection between his call and the ringing that carried between open windows just as well as his singing. “Mitsuru?”

Mitsuru huffed an embarrassed lungful of breath before leaning up to the window screen and answering. “Yes?”

“Would you like to get some dinner?”

It was cowardly, but Mitsuru was relieved that Akihiko seemed content to ignore the situation. “Sure.”

“I’ll be right down.”

They were both flushed for similar reasons, avoiding each other’s eyes as they decided on take out. Mitsuru tried not to concentrate on the slight burr in Akihiko’s voice as he ordered, tried to keep from blurting out an apology for invading his precious privacy.

Akihiko looked up from his food, the tip of a noodle visible for an instant as he smiled.
And Mitsuru’s heart finally settled out of its frantic palpitations.

Open windows became far more common than they had previously been, bringing in the music of the city, with Akihiko’s contribution providing a calming counterpoint.

Comments

[ruby-shards.livejournal.com]

Heee, this is adorable. :] I like it.

[belladonna12.livejournal.com]

This is the OP, and I loved it. This is sweet and gentle, and so totally worth it. For some reason though, I imagine Aki with an 'oh crap.' look on his face when he realizes Mitsuru's been listen, for some reason. Thanks!