Soul Music

Germano sat on a low stone wall at the edge of the square. The sun beat down on him, making his skin sizzle the way it used to when he lived in Spain. A grin plastered on his face, he attacked the strings of his guitar with an enthusiasm that was almost entirely unknown to him.

Even though the crowd was thicker than it ever had been in Saint Petersburg, he only had collected a few coins in his case, and hardly anyone was paying any attention to the music. Every once and awhile, he'd wink or smile at one of the girls whose eyes flicked to his muscular arms peaking out under his t-shirt. He didn't expect a real response out of any of them, other than a blush or a smile back at him.

The strapless sun dress that the young woman wore, was vibrant in its colour. The red rich, and full of life, drawing similar colours within the being it covered. Her brown hair, seemed to become richer, almost more auburn, as her eyes sparkled with a bright light. Against the bright colour her skin looked sun kissed, almost exotic although she had rarely spent a day outside of France in her life. The lips which had been painted a shade of read almost as deep as the dress opened, smirked and danced with delight.

Summer was a time for fun, and games. Not a time to worry about things. Like the voice in her head.

Don't you care that people are staring.

Glancing at a young boy, not even out of school, Blanche gave a wink, licking her lips ever so slightly before she turned away with a laugh. Because you 'forgot' to wear your shirt all the time so that no one would notice you

Continuing down the busy street, brushing passed and against the more interesting people, hand sweeping close to some jewels or a stray purse of their own accord, she felt a tiny rush of excitement that was unusual, but she didn't bother to do anything about it. She was in fact about to continue around the corner, and forget about the filled square all together, when the soft refrain of music brought her eyes to a gentleman on the wall, and Blanche liked what she saw.

Him? the disdain was there, like it always was. Blanche ignored it, and pushed her way through the crowd, to get a closer look at her new prize.

Will you stop comparing everyone I check out to yourself. Its getting a tad bit disturbing Roully dear.

Hopping up the wall, a ways away from the young man, she hummed softly along to his tune, dancing her way over to him, until she was standing just above him, a smirk on her face, and the breeze causing her bright skirt to drift softly towards him.

"Bonjour Music-man," she grinned down at him, "And what is such an delicious young thing like you, doing with such a pathétique amount of money in your case?"

As Germano continued to strum in the sun, his eyes caught the movement of something red coming towards him. The undulations and disturbances in the color told him it was the skirt of a brightly colored dress, and he grinned up at the face which appeared above it only a few seconds later.

"Hola Rojita," he said with a smile, meeting her nickname with one of his own. He glanced down at the meager amount of coins and chuckled, then shrugged his broad, muscle-y shoulders. "Honestly, I'm just as puzzled as you are. Perhaps my style of music has gone out of fashion," He said as his fingers continued to press against harsh metal strings, the guitar's wood blending in with the deep golden tones of it's owner's skin.

Spoiler:

Humming slightly to herself, the soft sound of appreciation, she tilted her head to the side, bright lips widening into a wide smile. Her white teeth gleamed against the vibrant back drop. If it weren't for the look that never removed from her eyes, she almost could have looked innocent.

Almost. Blanche had never quite been innocent in her whole life.

Feet light, and balance honed with years of practice, Blanche hoped around on the ledge she was standing on, placing one finger lightly on his shoulder, and trailing it across his back as she carefully spun around the man, slipping from one side of him to the other, wobbling for a moment on her landing, and then grinning brightly.

Great. Get us both killed

At least it will finally get you to shut up

"That would be a real shame," she cooed, her finger still lingering on his shoulder, "If you've gone out of style." Her eyes trailed over him slowly before she was off, dancing down the next edge of the wall, walking backwards to still look at him, and dipping her feet lowly on the side of the wall that rolled off on a hill.

"Maybe you need to... try something new."

Germano looked at the girl out of the corner of his eye, still playing his father's guitar, and sent her an amused smile. He was never really one to flirt, but then, he wasn't one to push people away when they tried, either.

He smiled again, "New? What would you suggest?"

Standing on the wall, Blanche bounced slightly on her toes, before suddenly kicking off her shoes. They fell to the ground with a clatter, and a smile broke out on the girl's face, "That's better."

Continuing with her bouncing, Blanche was actually planning something, had her thoughts ahead. Although she looked like she was doing nothing more than her usual antics - a young woman excited and energetic - she was in fact feeling for the width, and the grip of the wall.

"What do I suggest?" She asked slowly as she swung a foot back for the moment, feeling the ground that stretched out behind her, and grinning at what she found, "Well, I think I would suggest, something like-"

Slowly, the girl leaned back, arching her back, allowing her foot too come off the ground, until her hands were flat on the ground. Grinning to the air that she found there, Blanche kicked off the ground with the foot that was still on the wall, and her legs came tumbling over her, red skirt dancing flowing, flipping revealingly up before she was back to standing again, her grin now facing the man with the guitar.

"Like that, Music Man."

As if to prove her point, there was an appreciative noise from the person who had been standing near by, and after a moment he tossed a coin into the case in front of the man.

Show off.

Germano set down his guitar, looking for a moment from the girl, to the case, and back again. He did his best to feign an unimpressed shrug, "People will do anything for a pretty girl."

He slipped off his shoes and carefully set them by his instrument, turning to leap up and join the girl on the wall. Once their faces were a few feet away from each other, he took out his wand and waved it at the guitar, which began playing again as if Germano were still playing at the strings, except not quite as soulful.

He grinned wryly at Blanche, "It seems that these little tricks earn more than my carefully crafted art. But hey, if it gets me money." He offered her his hand, "You know how to tango, yes? I say we give these lovely people a show."

"So you think I'm pretty?" A smirk spread across her face, and Blanche decided to pick on the compliment half of the comment rather than the part that was devaluing the impressiveness of her trick - which although easy to her after years of Gymnastics (She had gained an odd obsession with it in her youth and forced her mother to sign her up, Muggle activity or not) Blanche knew looked impressive when other people watched. Especially when her long dress had not been the best thing to do that trick in.

Cocking her head to the side she watched the other man with an curious gaze, as he moved about. Her sharp mind attempted to piece together what he was doing but she simply couldn't figure it out. A grin flashed across her face as she took the hand, giving a small curtsy, always one to make a show.

"Show is my middle name."

Germano raised an amused eyebrow, "I thought it was obvious... But yes." He couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he took her hand in his, placing his other hand on her hip. He led her forward and backward with the musics, his steps dramatic and deliberate.

He chuckled again, stepping lightly on the fence's old, worn stones, "Why does that not surprise me?"

Blanche smiled impishly, allowing her cheeks to colour just slightly so she created the affect of looking both humble and cocky at the same time. It was an act that she had perfected some where between first and second year, and found it worked wonders in many situations. At the moment though, she didn't really wish to get anything out of it, she was merely doing it out of habit. It had come as a standard response.

Part of her really was flattered whenever someone thought that she was pretty, even if she didn't know how to be perfectly humbled by it.

"A girl still likes to hear it every now and again."

Can't you just say thank you.

No, can you?

Confidence seemed to run in the Belanger family.

"So," she allowed him to lead, following his steps with a careful and natural grace, "Music Man, do you have a real job and a real life? Or are you forever a nomad? Roaming the earth for its 'inner truths'?"