Erik groaned quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sat in the shadows of Box 5. It was all wrong...The singing (Apart from his Christine, of course), the dancing...Everything! The Phantom sighed, vowing that he would have to speak to Andre and Firmin after the rehearsal was over. He slumped back into his seat; wincing as yet another dancer nearly tumbled off the stage. These "dancers" couldn't even learn the simplest routines. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear someone climbing up the stairs to his box. Only when a young man cleared his throat and knocked on the back of a seat did the Phantom jolt and turn.
A young man with blond hair stood in the doorway, his bright blue eyes wide. The boy stumbled backwards slightly, blinking often and quickly. He staggered forward, moving slightly closer to the Phantom "So, the rumors are true" he lightly slurred. Erik scowled at Raoul, angered that he had been discovered, until he noticed the half empty bottle in the boy's hand. "Celebrating, Vicomte?" Erik said with a slight smirk, turning his attention back to the Opera. Raoul raised a skeptical eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. "You know who I am?" Erik gave a dark laugh "Of course I know who you are. I can't go about know knowing who funds my opera house" he said, watching as a few of the chorus girls bumped into each other during the course of their routine "Insolent fools" he muttered under his breath. Raoul took another wig of wine "Not enjoying the show?" he inquired, moving to sit in the seat beside Erik.
Erik looked up with a half amused air, shaking his head with a sigh "Nothing is going right in this damned show..." He muttered. Raoul grinned like a child, nudging up against Erik's shoulder. "I have an idea..." The Vicomte said in a ridiculously sing-song voice. "Will it make you go away?" Erik asked in a complete monotone voice. Raoul rolled his eyes, holding up the now empty bottle. "You, monsieur...Need a drink." "Mon dieu..." "Non non non! Hear me out! A game, we'll turn it into a game! Umm...Each time something you like comes on stage...You drink!" Raoul said with a grin. Erik groaned, cupping his head in his hands. "One problem, Vicomte...You're out of wine." Raoul blinked, looking down at the empty bottle in his hands before laughing.
"That's where you're wrong my spectral friend!" "Don't call me that..." Erik huffed as Raoul leaned forward, pawing around in the dark before coming back up with a fresh bottle. The Phantom blinked in slight surprise as the fop cracked open the bottle and sniffed the contents. "Where did you-? Never mind..." Raoul snickered again as he looked around "You wouldn't happen to have a glass on you?" He asked, hiccupping. "What do you think Vicomte?" "Probably not...Then straight from the bottle it is!" Erik groaned, cursing under his breath as he and the fop both turned their attention to the stage, watching with keen interest.
After only 10 minutes, Erik came to realize that he simply despised the boy seated next to him. Every time something shiny or colourful came on stage, Raoul would gasp or giggle and clap his hands quietly, then take a quick shot out of the wine bottle that had rarely left his hands. The only time Erik would pry the dusty bottle out of the boy's hand was when his Christine would come on stage to sing. Raoul would of course snatch the bottle right back and take a long bite. "Are you sure you're alright Vicomte?" Erik asked after the show ended.
"Perfectly fine monsieur, why do you...Oh!" Raoul slurred, jolting up in his seat with a drunken smile "Your eyes! They're so..." He twirled his hand in the air, leaning on the armrest while searching for the word that described the Phantoms golden orbs. "Prettyful!" He said at last, grinning ear to ear. He suddenly lost his grip on the armrest and toppled into Erik's lap, laughing like a mad-man. The Phantom yelped, cursing quietly as he shifted to try and throw Raoul's weight off of him.
"Get...Off..." Erik growled, his features darkening. Raoul looked up innocently, and then nuzzled into Erik's lap, causing the Phantom to bite back a groan. "Get off of me Vicomte or Lord help me..." Raoul pouted slightly, shaking his head. "Nope!" He said stubbornly, sticking out his tongue. Suddenly, the Vicomte fell limp, his head lolling to the side. Erik blinked, gently prodding the boy's side and huffing when he found the other had passed out. He looked around at the darkening theater and sighed, shaking his head with a small smile as he lifted the boy off his lap and set him back in his seat.
"Insolent fool..." He muttered with a small smile as he made to exit the box.