Day 12 - Music

"You know, I wish you wouldn't hide in the curtains, Minoth."

Where Addam's tone might only have been curious, contemplative, Flora's was a touch reproachful. And Minoth couldn't say he didn't get it. Even beyond the inter-sectional tossing of winks and waves and odd page-turning smiles, it had to be embarrassing to have a partner who continued to insist on acting like a grumpy loner while the entire ensemble knit once-in-a-lifetime friendships all around him. Impossible to point out, for one thing, if you were a point-er-out-er like Addam and Flora, one woody-windy unit, were.

He wasn't a complete non-participant, though. He'd caught Addam, hadn't he? And then Flora too, without even (hardly) trying. So he couldn't be called a total cold shoulder (and he hadn't any shoulder rest to speak of, either).

Minoth was about to cough up a response when Addam added his two cents: "Really, can you even hear properly back there?"

Oh, they made it too easy.

"What, a strapping young bassoonist like yourself hasn't ever been told to watch for the stick, instead of using his ears?"

Lord knew when the basses were behind, the bassoons were close to follow - yes, follow.

Flora nearly dropped her clarinet (picking at tarnish, as usual) at that. "Don't tell me you don't listen?"

"Of course I listen. With my eyes."

Origo and Hentisane shared a glance, conveniently and practicedly skirting the slim red bell dividing them.

"Not the beat, the music!"

"Whose seat am I sitting in, by the way?" Minoth asked, like he didn't know.

But Flora didn't take his bait. One finger, uncurled from around her instrument, beckoned him closer, while the other hand, planted on Addam's thigh, steadied her lean across his available lap.

Fine. One staccato kiss, conciliatory. Then, right back to the wings.