Disclaimer : I don´t own POTO, though Marie and Pierre are by me :)
He had known it was a bad idea all along.
...Yet, he sat here in front of a piano in his new workroom..awaiting his customers..
No, not customers..that sounds too much like a brothel or a circus..like they would pay me for starring at me...certainly not a good thing to remember...
The man with the black clothes shuddered inwardly, his mouth a thin line almost hidden by this white half-mask of his.
Awaiting his students, he eyed his pocket watch nervously.
Well, just a few more minutes to go...I wonder if there´ll actually come somebody ?
Erik plans after fleeing from the Opera were...well..none.
To be frank, he hadn´t any, not even one tiny plan what he would do if he wouldn´t be living underground. And why should he ? His life had went along smoothly, when suddenly this unexpected - yet heavenly wonderful - factor called Christine Daaé had appeared on world´s stage and turned his own world upside down.
Now, his normal life has ended, he was back on the streets and he certainly HAD to do something about the money issue.
Sure, the savings from blackmailing the opera´s managers would be enough for a few weeks..but the time after that, was which mattered.
That´s why Erik had come up with his - admittingly desperate - plan :
Which is to do, what he can do best : Music
He would give people - children - music lessons...that is, blind children.
Blindness was perfect for preventing them from seeing his face.
If I can choose which way my miserable life shall end, then I´ll at least die with some dignity..
He looked on his watch again.
Almost...
His eyes wandered through the room, looking for something he may have forgotten, something which he may need during lesson. His glance also fell on the door at the opposite wall, that lead to the adjoining bed room.
At least I won´t have it far to let myself drown in self-pity while lying in bed after nobody has come...
A knock on the entrance door on the left interupted him from his dark thoughts.
Instead of hasting to answer - though he felt like it - he rather strode over in a bored manner, that maybe was supposed to overplay his nervousness.
Erik opened the door and in from the bright crowded street outside went a well-dressed woman with her brown-curled little daughter at her hand. He mused that the girl had to be around eight years old;..maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less..he never had been good at guessing (A/N: just think of the wedding dress XD- irony !).
"Buongior, Miseur."
"Buongior, Madame. How may I help you ?"
The woman looked around in the room, scanning the furniture - somehow arrogant how he thought.
"I was told that here," It neither sounded like a compliment nor an insult, "blind children had the chance of learning how to sing properly."
"You heard right." Spoken advertisement still was the best way, Erik mused.
"Well then..about the prince..I shall give you twenty franc ? (A/N: no idea if this was considered much in these days ´´) Maybe more, if I´m satisfied about your work after this first trial lesson..If not...we´ll see about it, then.."
"So be it.."
I had already feared it. Not only is it hard enough to find students, no, I have to fight for the right to keep them..this whole trial lesson thing is giving me headaches !
Hugging her daughter one last time, the woman quietly left the flat, leaving Erik and the girl alone in the room staring at each other. Well..just one of them staring...
After a while of silence he heard the little girl ask in a tiny, somewhat afraid voice :
"Miseur, are you still there ?"
Erik almost felt bad for the poor creature; almost that is, since his nervousness increased steadily and extinguished any other feelings.
It was ridicilous ! He knew he had to talk to his students now and then since he was supposed to teach them...yet he feared the conversation. But since he didn´t intend to frighten her even more, he finally answered in a deep voice:
"Yes,..yes I´m still here. F-forgive my rudeness..d-do you want to take a seat ?"
Never in his life had he thought to be afraid of a defenseless blind kid..
I really must be becoming mad in the end...C´mon now, it´s just a little girl ! Think of your breathing..
Feeling pretty clumsy he carefully took her hand in his gloved one and guided her to the chair at the window, in spite of that fact being pointless to her.
"Thank you...you must be playing instruments for quite some years now, I presume ?"
Erik was a little taken aback, not only by the choice of her words.
"Excuse me ?"
"Your hand. I feel high sensivity from your hand. It´s far more gentle than my mothers, as she is playing the violin for only a few years, but you...it must be decades.."
She explained as simple, as if she talked about the weather.
This strange and highly unexpected statement, adding to the glassy stare over her light blue eyes gave Erik a little shiver down the spine. She must have felt his discomfort as she added :
"I´m sorry, if I was too direct. I didn´t mean to insult you in some sort of way.."
"You-" He cleared his troath for the first time being able to look her directly in the eyes.
"You were just being honest, which is a good thing to be..."
A small smile appeared on the girl´s face and Erik could have sworn that the room had gotten slightly brighter by now.
Clearing his throath again he went over to his piano, sitting down in front.
"Ok, then...Let´s-"
"Excuse me, Miseur. But first I´d like to introduce myself, otherwise I´ll fear my mother may become angry. I tend to forget to say my name, you must know..My name is Marie."
"Erik." He said a little hesitantly.
Marie smiled again.
"Fine. Sorry for interrrupting, you may continue Miseur Erik."
"Well now,... let´s begin with-"
A knock on the door.
Walking over Erik frowned in Marie´s direction.
"I didn´t expect your mother to be back that early.."
"It isn´t my mother..sounds more like-"
"Buongior, Miseur !" The woman at the door greeted.
"Oh, I see you´re already in the middle of your lesson ! But I´m sure it´ll do no harm for my little Pierre to participate too.." She said, referring to the shy looking brown-haired boy at her side.
Shoving her son inside, she continued.
"The payment...I dare say after a trial lesson..would that be fine with you ?"
"Just fine." Knowing he had no other choice.
The door closed agai, and there he was :
Stuck in a room at his first lesson with two blind children.
The more the better I guess...or hope..
Feeling slightly less awkward than before he guided the boy next to the girl.
"Pierre, your mother said was your name ?"
He simply nodded.
"Ok, Pierre, Í´m Erik and I will be your teacher for this hopefully successful lesson."
Another nod.
How is that boy supposed to sing if he isn´t even able to talk ?!
Sighing heavily he seated himself on his piano chair anew.
"Now finally for that lesson..."
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