Porcelain

37

Fleurette lifted her head up from the pillows and looked around. She had been woken up by the slightest humming sound, pushing herself up out of bed she walked slowly down and looked towards Erik. He was sitting at the organ with his back to her, tiptoeing and moving as silently as she could, she stopped behind him. Looking over his shoulders she watched as every so often he'd reach out and scribble on the paper on the organ music stand in front of him. Fleurette held in a sneeze which was threatening to come out, standing and quickly composing herself she reached down and put her hands on his shoulders.

Erik jumped from the contact, Fleurette couldn't help but laugh quietly. She had just singlehandedly yet accidentally made the infamous opera ghost jump. Erik didn't look at all pleased about it when he quickly looked over his shoulder at her. Fleurette smiled and ended up wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her head on top of his. "Is this what you were writing yesterday?" Erik nodded but didn't speak, Fleurette rolled her eyes. His moment of silence was possibly over him still being a little peeved about jumping from her sudden contact. Fleurette actually found that moment funny. "Sorry, Erik if I cut off your train of thought." She said while shutting her eyes. Opening them slowly she moved her head away from leaning against his and unwrapped her arms. Sitting beside him she read over the music and looked at him. "Can you play it?"

"It's not ready."

"Work in progress, hm?"

"Yes."

"How do you know if it isn't ready if you've not played it?"

"How do you know I've not played it?" Erik smiled and tapped her on the nose with his pen. She plucked it from his hands and sat twiddling it in her fingers.

"I would have heard the organ."

"Ah," Erik nodded and crossed his arms loosely over his shirt and looked up at the dark ceiling. "How do you know I haven't played it when you were out?" He looked down at her sidewards, Fleurette went to answer but shook her head.

"You have me there." She shrugged and put the pen on the music stand. "Did you?"

"No." Erik admitted, Fleurette laughed quietly and shook her head. "How are you feeling?"

She nodded slowly and went to answer only to clap her hands over her face and sneeze. The sneezes she was keeping bottled up were now free. "I was going to answer fine."

"But you're rethinking that answer I see."

"Yes." Fleurette opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Don't ever let me swim again."

"We're going through this again?"

"Yes."

"Alright I will try and stop you. But may I question what will happen if an incident like the one with the little girl happens again, and you are nearby?" Erik smiled, Fleurette frowned up at him and nudged him on the arm.

"Shh," she put a finger to her lips and looked away from him.

"So I take that as an answer of: I will go swimming again." Erik smiled and suffered a playful glare from Fleurette. He shook his head lightly and took to playing the piece of music he had loosely written so far.

Fleurette soon forgot about being childishly annoyed at him and turned on the organ seat and watched his hands glide over the keys. "Erik, can I ask you something?" Fleurette asked when he had finished. She put her hands in her lap and looked up at him. "The solo I'm doing..." Her voice trailed off, Erik stopped writing and looked at her.

"What about it?"

"Did you...like...know about it before I did?"

"You mean did I have words with Giry to let you do it on your own without someone trying to share the spotlight with you?" Erik lowered his pen and looked at her, Fleurette thought over his words and then nodded slowly. "Perhaps."