"I still hate you, you know." Erik said, sitting up from the couch and watching as Carlotta primped in front of the mirror. Reflected in the glass, clear blue eyes met his, and she shrugged.
"I'm only letting you know in case," he coughed, trying not to look flustered in front of her. "Well ah, in case recent events made it unclear that-"
"By recent events you mean you fucking me?"
He flushed, and she laughed. Ever the performer, she tilted her head so that red curls fell perfectly over one shoulder, and flicked her gaze softly back at him. The brash, hateful woman was suddenly a portrait of girlish coquetry. He had been studying her (as an enemy only!) since she came to the opera house, so he was familiar enough with her expressions to know this one was affected. One actor to another, however, he had to admit that it was an effect that worked. She was physically lovely, despite her age. He made himself remember the harsh, condescending laugh he'd heard from her a moment ago. That was the real Carlotta, if anything about her was honest at all. That was what he needed to keep in mind, for the sake of his own sanity. Trying not to fumble, he shook himself out of his thoughts and grabbed his jacket from where it lay on the floor of her dressing room.
"Leaving so soon?" She drawled. "Not how one should treat a lady."
"I wouldn't treat a lady like this." He muttered.
"Oh?" She said, smoothing the neckline of her dress.
"If anything about you was ladylike, I wouldn't have been here at all."
She laughed, and didn't bother to deny it. As he stepped out the door into the empty hallway (it was probably still only three or four in the morning, after all), Erik turned to look back at her. The woman's eyes were still on him, cool and calculating. The same way she looked at the other actors when they got too close to her spotlight. The same way she looked at his new protege (the good girl he was already missing so badly). Erik knew that snakes did not ever have blue eyes, but La Carlotta Guidicelli's were snakelike nonetheless.
She was still beautiful. He had never hated her more.