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"Very good. It sounded less stiff this time, much more natural."
"Thank you." Kris smiled a little. "Last time you told me not to focus so much on the notes, so I took it to heart. I apologize for getting so..." Oersted shook his head.
"Your reaction was nothing to apologize for. I know how seriously you take your music, and criticism can be hard to hear." Kris nodded a little; after fashion, music was their biggest passion in life and while they were still too inexperienced to fill in as an official organist, they took lessons with Oersted regularly. "But you do understand that feeling matters more than technique, I've heard your mother say so of your playing at home." Kris blushed.
"I'm not thinking about it as much when I play the piano, everyone just loves hearing me and it's a small audience. But if I ever play for the entire church one day..." They sighed. "I guess I'm just worried about missing a note or something and ruining the whole song."
"Completely understandable. Even the best of us has performance anxiety at times," Oersted reassured them. "But remember, you're part of a community that's known you since you were an infant. They're not interested in perfection, they're interested in your passion for music. When the day comes that you perform for them, they won't hear any missed notes, they'll only hear you."
Kris closed their eyes. They hadn't even been a year old when the Dreemurrs adopted them and Chara, they were eleven when they learned the truth about being given up and the...unsavory nature of Serenity. But even when the anxiety and identity issues were at their worst, Harmony still accepted Kris as they always had.
This was their home. Their family, their friends, even the people they weren't all that close with were still familiar.
"I'll try harder to remember that."
"You will." Oersted smiled. "Do you want to try again?" Kris shook their head, turning the page in the music book.
"I'd like to try this one." It was a little more complicated, but looked upbeat judging by the notes. And Kris needed something upbeat. Oersted nodded, Kris placed their hands on the keys, and began to play.