I had this passing fancy about Erik and Christine playing tag, so I started writing about it and now I can't stop :p So, here's what I've got so far.
Disclaimer: Not mine :)
Christine's breath was short and heaving. She had run from the top of the house, all the way to the orchestra pit. Meg had established the conductor's stand as base, and little Christine touched it now with a hand of quivering excitement. Madame Giry had gone out for the afternoon, so all of the little ballet rats decided to make a nuisance of themselves by playing hide and go seek in the theatre.
Sophie, Marie, and Suzette had all run off and hidden somewhere high up. Christine wanted to stay in one place, but found that everywhere she had gone to hide was far too obvious. The curtains were like a beacon of visibility despite her tiny size and the stage hands wouldn't let any of the little girls up in the rafters.
Meg had haughtily told them that 10 years old is not too young, but they laughed their surly, alcohol infused laughs and turned her about. Meg was only a year younger that Christine, but she didn't want to get on their bad side by hiding amongst the ropes.
" You can't live on base, Daae!" Called Jean-Pierre, the youngest boy in the company. He was leaning out of Box 5, sticking his tongue out like the little devil he was. Meg had already caught him, so now he was her snitch.
" You'd best get out of the Phantom's box before-"
" Before what? " he challenged, shaking his head from side to side like a Kabuki performer.
" Before I tell Meg how much you wanna kiss her!" The boy puckered his lips, his face not as pretty as it was moments ago.
He darted out of the box, wailing, " I'll get you, little mouse! Just you wait, Daae!"
" I'm on base!" She retorted, but knew that she had used up her 3 minutes of safety by arguing with Jean-Pierre. So she darted out of the pit and up the side stairs on the stage. Running parallel to the lip, she dashed into the wings stage right and up into the workshop rafters.
She darted past props, and under workbenches, listening for her petite pursuer. Christine skidded into the costume deck, a place used for storage during performances. She dashed under the leading lady's bodiless costume, taking refuge in her hoop skirt.
Jean-Pierre stopped short, creeping with the timid steps of a ballet dancer. Christine covered her mouth to stifle the puffing gusts of breath. He was moments from discovering her when Suzette bounded out from the pile of out of season backdrops, proclaiming " Catch Meeeeeeee!" to which the boy rounded about and focused on new prey.
Christine sighed with relief, safely tucked away in her tent. La Madonna would be piqued if she knew of the little ballerina's indiscretion. So, slowly, she crept out, keen gaze darting left and right for predators.
"I found you, Christine!" Meg hissed, her challenging little gaze burning the back of Christine's head The brunette sprinted, her boundless curls jumping in terror as the peach ribbon that held them together fell away. Down the stairs the little rats ran, tearing the satin of their shoes on the unsanded wood. Christine leapt in terror when Meg's grasp nearly pulled her tutu off. Christine ran towards the corridor of dressing rooms, stifling a scream of terror and delight. Never had a childhood game been so exhilarating!
Meg tripped over a stray rope and fell behind in the chase. But Christine didn't notice, she ran farther and farther into the dark corridors. The windowless section of the building was very grim during the day, when the managers ordered the gas lamps to be extinguished. But the girl was undeterred, even when in the midst of triumphant laughter, she ran headlong into a solid wall. A warm, human wall.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, falling backwards onto her bottom. The person she had run into towered above her, his body composed of sharp angles. He looked down at her with golden eyes glowing in the dim.
" What were you doing, child?" asked the man, his tone neither accusatory nor tender. Christine hade never heard such a voice in all of her life. Admittedly, she was very young.
" I was playing hide and go seek, Monsieur. But, in this version of the game, once you are found, you must be tagged."
" I see." he hummed, sounding rather amused. She swore she could see him smiling. It was hard get a good look at this aloof stranger, but she noticed that half of his face seemed to be more luminously white than the other. His eyebrow on that side was also rather immobile. The stranger held out his hand and help the little girl to her feet. Her head barely reached his waist and she notice that he couldn't be any older that 21.
" My name is Christine. I'm sorry to have knocked into you."
" If such a beating means more chances to meet you, I would not mind it so." She blushed a brilliant primrose and stifled a giggle.
" What is your name?" asked the inquisitive child. The man tensed for a moment before sighing.
"...Erik." Christine touched his hand, the baby fat of youth still making her hands soft and pudgy. His boney fingers encased hers with a gentleness his notorious title was not known for. Being the Phantom of the Opera did not warrant such tender affections from frolicking children.
" May I tell you something?" he asked politely. She gazed up at his glowing eyes and nodded.
" I think I shall play this game with you. Would you like that?" Christine smiled so brightly, Erik swore the entire corridor lit up.
" Oh yes, Monsieur!"
"Very well," he hummed, touching the tip of her upturned nose, " You're it!"
And with that, he vanished into the black, leaving little Christine in a delighted stupor.
Updates to come soon :)
Sincerely,
DeMuerte
