#chapter promotion

“May I ask a favor?”

“And that is?”

“Would you mind showing me how to play the cello?”

Although your grip reflexively tightens around your precious instrument, you find the request endearing. “Is this an attempt to show me how amazing I am compared to a rookie?”

“Something like that,” he admits. “And I would like to try out a new instrument. I shouldn’t be an orchestra conductor if I remain so averse to learning a string instrument.”

Somewhat intrigued to see how the grand conductor handles a new experience, you gingerly hand over your beloved companion. “Alright, but be delicate. You’re going to want to hold it by the neck at all times—put it against your left shoulder. Yeah, like that.”

He has his legs spread, poorly imitating what he’s seen and testing how the new instrument rests against his lower ribcage. “I do need a bow, don’t I?”

“I’ll give you the bow once we fix…this.” His posture is a miserable wreck, at least in your eyes. He is a child’s drawing of a cello player, and you begin strategizing the politest way to adjust his rookie clumsiness. “Let’s lengthen the endpin a bit. This is sitting too short for you.”

Without much thought put into the action, you drop to the floor and cup hands under the curve of the cello. On your knees, you feel for the endpin screw as you look up the length of the cello to assess your sculpture. “Lift the cello for me. Get that lowest tuning peg beside your ear.”

For you, he heaves up the cello an inch while you lengthen the pin connecting it to the floor. This angle of you is eradicating his words and blurring his mind, leaving him bare for indoctrination and acquiescent to your instruction. He has forgotten himself, and he makes a noticeable effort to keep the cello firmly plastered against his body as if something hides beneath.

You notice that diffidence as you rise and pick up your bow. In a moment of clarity, you deduce what stole his tongue and—even though it injects you with a smidge of seductive pride—you choose to say nothing about it.

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The Program:

Frédéric Chopin - Waltz in F minor Op 70. no.2 The piece that Erwin plays while Reader is setting up. Just something nice and pleasant :)

(i half considered putting a d major scale in the program since that was the only other music played this chapter. but i shan't)