Disclaimer: As always, I don't own PTO or any of the characters. Honestly, if I did, would I be writing phiclets like this?

Blame: Wherever you care to place it, I should take it myself, though!

Setting: Not really in the timeline, but if it has to go anywhere, it's the first time Erik brings her down to his home, before the big unmasking scene. I'm tweaking with the ALW story, which this is based off of, in that Christine knows he's not a real angel right from the beginning.

Other notes: Just intended to be light-hearted and mildly humourous. Not really going for quality, it's just an idea I've had rolling around in my head for a little while: what might the morning before a performance be like between Erik and Christine? I might play around with this later just to see if I can make it any more compromising to both of them without losing the levity, but that'll be tough.

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Good Morning! by AngelCeleste85

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Christine woke up in the boat-shaped bed. She could smell food being prepared on the other side of the door, which was of course closed. Erik would be there. Was he cooking? For her? She smiled and pulled a dressing-gown on over her chemise. Blue-grey satin dressing gown and a daringly short chemise beneath, the man had to be mad to spend so much money on her but Christine certainly wasn't arguing!

She didn't wait to belt it before walking quickly to the door, only held it closed with one hand. She opened the door and walked right into Erik, a bit startled to find him right there with his hand raised as if to knock. Of course, her heel caught the bottom hem of the slick satin as she stepped back and Christine found herself in a very undignified and somewhat compromised puddle at Erik's feet! She managed to bite back the expletive that came to mind, but she really couldn't hide the blush that flooded her cheeks.

"Your pardon," Erik said dryly. His face was expressionless as - wait, no, it wasn't. There was something about the cast of his mouth and the crinkle around his eye... He offered his hand to her and Christine took it gratefully. "And a good morning, dear. I was just coming to wake you up."

"And I suppose you think that was hilarious, don't you?"

That was all it took to bring it out. The little tiny smile that had been playing around the visible corner of his mouth suddenly stretched out and Erik chuckled warmly. His eyes fully reflected the smile and the laugh. "You did! Son of a..." Now he was really laughing. He really did have a wonderful laugh, it was just getting it out that was so difficult!

"It was the whole situation and the look on your face," he chuckled and guided her into the kitchen. "I don't believe I've seen anyone color quite so much in my life!"

"Yes, well, you blushed too, and I saw it." Christine tossed right back at him as he pulled out a chair for her at the table. One elegant eyebrow raised at her remark and she laughed. "Yes, you did, and you're doing it again!"

"Me?" Erik deadpanned. "I do not blush."

Christine just threw her head back and laughed. "No, you turn bright red!"

Erik smiled as he turned back to the stove. The teapot was just starting its song. He certainly hadn't intended to startle Christine like that, but any amount of embarrassment on his part was worth hearing that warm, crystal laugh resound through his home. Besides, it really had been funny.

He brought her a plate with a piping-hot cheese omelette atop it. "It would be fair play, you know, for me to mention about now that you squeaked."

"Squeaked?" Christine said incredulously around a mouthful of egg and cheese. "I don't squeak, I never have! You taught me better than that, that's Carlotta's job now. "

They both laughed. It was a good morning.

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Your thoughts? I'm not quite happy with it, but I don't like to write light stuff anyway so you tell me what you think.

AngelCeleste85