I showed up for music class at the same time as usual on Monday. It was right after my schooling with Wufei, which I usually enjoyed, but today I couldn't seem to focus on memorizing my letters. It didn't help that Duo had recently been added to the class, since Master had found that he could barely read or write, and became a distraction almost immediately. Wufei usually spent half the class just trying to get Duo to focus, which usually annoyed me, but today I was grateful for because I couldn't concentrate anyway. My mind was filled with thoughts of how I could make myself speak and the fear that I would soon run out of chances to prove my worth to Master. I hardly did any work the entire class, but Wufei didn't scold me. I think he knew of my problems, for Master often spoke to him in his office late at night and asked his opinions.
Wufei was older than the rest of us, with a better education and more skills, so it seemed only natural that Master would confide in him. There was no favoritism shown to him other than that, so there were no feelings of jealousy among the rest of us. Actually Wufei became something of a counselor, because the others often went to Wufei with a problem they didn't feel comfortable going to Master with. Wufei was the one to advise Quatre to ask Master to buy calcium supplements when Quatre revealed that he didn't like milk. He was also the one to entreat Master to purchase several products necessary to make intercourse possible and pleasurable for both parties. Heero and I, as the only two who had actually had sex with master, worried most about this until we decided to ask Wufei, who immediately relayed the request to Master, who solved the problem by the next day. And there were countless other small tasks that Wufei guided us on that were too small or trivial for Master's attention.
So, because of the responsibility he held by being Master's advisor and our guide, Wufei was often privy to knowledge about us or about Master's plans that he otherwise would not be. Which is why, when Wufei turned to me at the end of our lesson and touched my shoulder, smiling and saying not to worry, that Master had everything in hand, I was more relieved than I had anticipated. Wufei seemed confident and unworried, though there was a strange embarrassment about him and an odd blush on his cheeks. Still, it wasn't like Wufei to make reassurances lightly, so I was much more relaxed when I departed for music class than I would have been otherwise.
When I arrived for music class I found that a screen had been placed between myself and the piano, so that I could not see my tutor and he could not see me. I was not surprised, for we had attempted this plan before, with minimal results. The mats on the floor were odd, but I assumed that I would be expected to sit for this practice for some reason. I had also been blindfolded, intoxicated, and recorded in attempts to get me to sing, but none of them had been able to give the desired results. I sighed, my heart falling at the idea of another disastrous practice.
Someone came up behind me then and slipped a blindfold over my eyes. I sighed as the hands fastened it securely behind my head.
"We've tried both of these methods before," I stated softly, "and neither worked. I don't see what help combining them will be," I protested.
"Oh, I highly doubt you've tried this method before," Master's amused voice came from behind me. I started, uncertain at this sudden change. I did not want Master present to see my failure, but there was nothing I could do to make him leave. "Don't get upset," Master whispered soothingly into my ear. "I've talked with your tutor and I just want to try this one last experiment. I won't be upset if it doesn't work out, I promise. I know you're trying your best, but won't you make this one last attempt for me?" he asked. I nodded somberly. I would do anything Master asked of me.
Removed for content.