Let's Dance [Atsu]

[|Ayame Unbound|]

[Umehara]

Statuesque, he had been standing at the edge of the forest for quite some time.

The veil of evening cast itself across the expanse of Oto No Kuni as the lone shinobi stared into the distance. Like watchful guardians, the trees that towered over him occasionally swayed and bent. Small curtains of wind caressed his skin as they lifted his cloak, offering majesty and grace when footsteps coaxed him further into the nothingness. Anotsu's once scarlet mane was now replaced by tresses the color of ravens, long strands of its onyx silk beneath the low light bouncing along his jawline. His eyes, a beautiful mahogany tainted by faint splashes of amber, danced along the moonlight and shifted only when the flora rustled faintly overhead and around. The night had beckoned him. And for many eves, he had ignored its call and retreated to his bed until the morning light penetrated his quarters. But this night would allow no such thing. Atsuhiro had closed his eyes many times. And every time, the smallest of brushstrokes painted a portrait that only exploring this moment could have finished.

Vicariously, anticipation lived through every breath that escaped him as his lips parted. The pad of his left hand's thumb smoothed over the scarlet guard of his katana as he walked, the cold return offering mild comfort against the serrated edges of his thoughts. Stray ribbons tied along the throat of the scabbard whipped lightly back and forth, mimicking wraiths dancing betwixt the spaces of uncurled digits. Some time passed at such a slow and methodical atmosphere, but it would not be long before the Uchiha's eyes fixated on what looked to be an uninhabited building. As if a place of solace immediately materialized from his inner struggle, the small door was but meters from offering warmth and a place to calm the storm within. Anotsu paused for moments, slowly lifting his free hand. As his fingers curled about the cold metal, he yanked once and spun upon the ball of his feet - he was inside, the echo of the door closing resounding as he pressed his forehead against its center.

His shoulders rose and fell as he sighed. Standing upright, Atsuhiro gathered his wits about himself and noted the tatami mats beneath his shoes. Quickly, he turned so that he might find a proper place at which he could remove them and feel the texture of the flooring against the soles of his feet. When the sight before him came into view, however, every muscle beneath the exterior froze in place.

Kogaku..

The AnBu Wolf wondered if she would have been able to recognize him. The inferno of his garments rose like pillars of might from his pants legs, twisting and contorting until ending at the light pauldrons upon his shoulders. Lean muscle shown against his torso's garb, shades of scarlet layered in a myriad of patterns that accentuated the features of his extended Soulcaster's youth. A single, thick bang of hair divided the almond shape of his eyes. Simply put, the young man had matured a degree further since his last departure. Still, there was an unmistakable identity that only they could have given with their inner selves. With this knowledge, the Uchiha eased into a relaxed stance.

He said nothing in particular. Shifting his weight to his right side, the tip of his left foot applied weight to the right heel. Easily, he shook his appendage free from the shoe. The alternate would occur within seconds, leaving him barefoot against the manila tatami mats. Anotsu's toes wiggled lightly as he took only a few steps forward. Loosely, he allowed the elongated blade in his hand to lower until the  bottom of the scabbard touched lightly to the floor. The pommel, a thin dragon of sterling silver, opened its maw wide and received the rest of the instrument with claws clutching its sides. No words came to him as eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly, their natural arch adding a certain allure to the way that he was regarding her in that moment.

Why was she here..? What threads had fate woven and made them to lay on this evening..?

[|Ayame Unbound|]

[/i]

The single word carried the power to bring memories flooding back. Their first meeting, a battle against Akakios, the night she healed him. Disjointed images flashed through her mind. There was more to say but now was not the time, nor was it the place. This haven was not to be sullied by unimportant words. She did not move from her kneeling position yet she allowed her brows to rise, her head to incline slightly. Her face asked the silent question. 'What are you doing here?'

Mismatched eyes took in his blade before glancing down to her own. What stroke of Fate's brush had brought them here? Some knot in the threads of life had drawn them both to this place, and placed them both with blades. Yet somehow it was not a battle that drew them here. They were not enemies to meet each other with violence yet something about the blades seemed important. It was if vibrations were gently resonating from the pair of them, creating an unheard harmony deep within.

Slowly she unfolded herself, drawing to stand with her blade held loosely in her right hand. Her eyes continued to search Anotsu. It mattered not what guise he wore, he was who he was. No facade could change what they had been through. No costume could alter the emotions she felt when he was near. For the briefest moment her eyes darted away, watching the floor. Had she been any other woman a blush would of tinted her cheeks as a long forgotten quote surfaced in her mind. Her eyes met his once more and the smile broadened upon her lips. They were not here for history, romance, or discussions. They were here for something much grander.

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.[/ul][/font][/font]

[Umehara]

"...Kogaku."

The single word - a name not easily forgotten - slipped from betwixt his lips like salvation in the darkest hour. A tangible oasis, he coveted the memories that threatened to further ignite the silent passion from behind his eyes. Slated orbs were now fully cognizant and aware, widening to a noticeable degree. Quickly, however, he forestalled the excited tone in his voice and allowed the quiet to fall upon them like a blanket once more. All but the choicest of words seemed appropriate as they existed in that same place and at that same time. Inexorably drawn to the key that she acknowledged in those fleeting moments of wonder - their eyes meeting each other's blades and then their own - their purpose was a pen scribbling along the blank pages of reality's chronicle. And so Anotsu would take it upon himself to move just as she did, wonder just as she wondered. To have known a symmetry like this was almost painfully unheard of. How ironic that their communication, so dark and unfamiliar, was a stark contrast to such a thing as the human condition.

One step forward.

Two.

A half-step with a pause.

He became statuesque, paused in mid-step as if only his lips could deliver the message that he was so desperately attempting to convey with his being. It began as a small vibration that coursed the length of his left arm. From the cardiac area, it spiraled and twitched like an uncontrollable urge not fully realized. To his shoulder it moved, the first signs of goosebumps slowly forming along the smooth curvature of his bicep. Trickling like mental daggers that coaxed him onward, the sensation halted its frenzied travel at his digits. His thumb moved with the barest of efforts, its pad applying pressure to the guard of the katana before inching the blade from its safe haven for but an inch. Words had failed him before, just as they always had when that which mattered most cascaded down the lines of choice. Right here. Right now. This moment was the physical manifestation of his desire to strip all that would have hoped to stop him of power. He wanted to reach out to this woman. He wanted her to understand with him what he, alone, could not. As he returned her smile, his a sly and alluring invitation all its own, Anotsu asked her a question that only she could comprehend.

"May I have this dance....?"

[Umehara]

But apparently, he could not.

[. Exit]

[|Ayame Unbound|]