The Man Clad in Black: Book Two

A Final Lesson - Chapter 15

You had barely realized that this was your last lesson before your audition... even though you practically knew that Madame Giry was going to throw the lead role right upon your shoulders, it was still a nerve-wracking thing to think about; and yet, even though the both of you knew how important it was to get just everything right for your audition, you were only partially invested in your practice. There was so much on your mind.

"[Y/N], are you listening?" Erik asked. His eyes flicked up from the organ, which he had been so passionately playing just a moment ago, and it seemed like his frustration was getting the better of him.

You blinked a few times. It was normally the fact that you were tired that made you so 'out of it,' but now, it was the complete opposite. You had too much on your mind to pay attention.

"Erik... are you sure we're going to be alright?" you asked. Your hands were clutching onto the hem of your dress all over again, and it seemed as if it had become a nervous habit at this point. "Peter seems to really know what he's doing, and I feel like he's going to figure something out..."

Erik paused. His hands gripped his knees as he thought for a moment, and after he drew in a deep breath, he glanced back at you.

There was that sadness again. It had disappeared for the longest time, and now that it returned, it seemed to strike you so hard that you nearly fell over. It was the rare twinge of sadness that carried the weight of the world. Aside from Erik, you hadn't seen anyone else in the world carry a burden so heavy - and you were certain that there was no one before and no one after who would see that same amount of pain...

And again, Erik smiled through it.

He held his head up. Even though the sadness hadn't at all faded from his eyes, the huge smile that he gave was almost enough to convince you that he was just fine.

"[Y/N]... I can assure you that everything will be alright," he said. He stood up for a moment before making his way over to you. Along with the bitter sadness, there was a seriousness in his expression, and you were quick to notice as he wrapped his arms around your waist. "Please don't fret."

Your eyebrows furrowed just a little.

"I don't know, Erik," you said softly. You paused your a moment before you rested your head against his chest, and you carefully wrapped your arms right back around him. You opened your mouth to add something else, but nothing came out.

You just lost it.

Erik's hand made its way to the back of your head, holding you in such a way that made you feel unbearably comfortable, and you still couldn't help it. You were terrified. What if you got caught? What if Erik got caught? After all, you two had just gotten engaged. It would be hard to build a life with a man in prison...

And even harder to do so with a man who was dead.

That was what Erik had been labeled. A dead man. If he ever got caught, you were sure that he was going to be executed - and you would rather die than spend the rest of your life without him.

"[Y/N], please..." he murmured. He truly didn't know how to comfort you. There was something about the way that he held you, and for a moment, you could have sworn that he was more afraid than you were. "I swear on my life that you will be just fine."

You gulped.

"Erik, I don't want to be alone," you murmured. You shut your eyes tightly to get rid of whatever tears had welled up in them, and as they seemed to drip down your chin, you didn't care. "Please don't let me be alone..."

Erik let out a sigh. He pulled you closer and pressed a kiss against your hair, and you felt his hand gently caress your back.

He knew what being alone was... after all, his entire life was spent that way up until you willingly chose to be his friend, and now, he realized that didn't want to be alone either. He would rather die than go through that again.

"[Y/N]..." he shushed. He toyed with your hair for a moment, and as he rocked you back and forth, his mind seemed to race just a little to find a solution that would grant you at least a temporary happiness. You felt his fingers intertwine with yours, and one of his hands gently rested on your waist.

"Dance with me," he murmured.

"What?"

Even though you knew what he was talking about, you wanted to confirm exactly what he meant. Before you realized what was happening, however, you felt Erik's hands fall from your side, and he was quick to make his way to the little Persian monkey still perched by his bed... after he wound it up a couple of times, he returned to you, moving his hands to the positions that they were in before.

"A proper dance, that is," he said with a nod. He moved your hand to rest om his shoulder, and soon enough, his hands were returned to the position that they were before, and he flashed you a soft smile as you stared up at him.

"Not for a ball or for a show, but for fun. I'm certain you know how to dance, my dear," he murmured with a soft smile and playful wink. "Just dance."

Sure enough, that was exactly what you began to do.

The both of you stared at one another, swaying and moving along to the music almost perfectly, and Erik had even gone out of his way to try and spin or lift you (which, surprisingly, didn't result in you falling to the floor... It was romantic, actually).

You had both danced until the monkey stopped playing, but somehow, Erik had wound up the music box to play as long as you needed it to.

You realized that this was your first real dance together.

Sure, there was that of Don Juan, although that one was an entirely different kind of dance. This passion was expressed in a much different way... it wasn't at all full of lust - simply love.

"Erik... can I be with you tonight?" you asked softly. Your voice was still a little groggy, as you had just cried your eyes out before Erik's idea had so perfectly calmed you down, although you didn't at all care at this point. You just wanted to spend the night with him.

He knew what you meant.

"Of course," he murmured. "Spend it here with me, [Y/N]... please."

It was then that you realized that he needed it as badly as you did.

You paused.

While you knew that it could mean a possibility of the suspicions around you rising, you soon realized no longer cared - you just wanted to spend the night with the man you loved.

"Absolutely," you nodded. "Let me get changed out of this dress, first."

Sure enough, after you changed into a nightgown (that Erik had kept down there, just so you could use it whenever), you made your way over to the bed that you had slept in so many times.

Erik was already laying down. For the first time in a while, he actually looked exhausted, and he had changed out of his (probably uncomfortable) suit.

He glanced at you the moment that you sat down on the bed. He had taken his mask off before he held an arm out, and naturally, you laid down right in his embrace.

"Erik... I really do love you," you mused. You turned over so that you could get a look at his face, and with a touch more soft and more gentle than anything you had given before, your fingers pressed against the skin that he had learned to hate... and now love all over again. "Really."

"I know, [Y/N]," he mused softly, pulling you just a little closer to press a gentle kiss against your lips. "But believe me. I love you twice as much as that."

A/N: Yes, I did make this chapter as corny as possible... more or less, haha! There's a reason for it though. And I low-key hate myself for what I'm adding to the plot, but it was too good of an idea to pass up! Lol, sorry for a late update. I don't have an excuse other than the fact that I was a little busy with homework... anyway, enjoy the rest of the book! 💖