Erik paced around his liar, muttering softly under his breath. Why had he brought the boy down? In fact, why hadn't he just let the boy die? The Phantom growled and turned, striding into the room where he had laid Raoul. As he entered, his eyes softened almost immediately. Raoul lay completely still, his breathing labored. It was evident that even in sleep, the boy was still in pain. Erik sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and shaking his head.

"You can't seem to stay out of trouble, can you?" He asked quietly, brushing a strand of matted hair out of Raoul's face. The boy stirred slightly, a quiet whimper escaping his lip. Erik drew his hand back quickly, stashing the limp back into his cloak. Raoul stirred again, his eyes fluttering open. Blue met gold as Raoul's eyes slowly slid back into focus.

"How are you feeling Vicomte?" Erik asked as he stood and circling the bed. Raoul looked completely lost, his blue eyes widening. Erik sighed, standing at the side of the bed once again and lifting the sheets to get a look at the wrappings he had applied. This movement sparked the life in Raoul, the boy letting out a small squeak as he moved back, hugging the blankets to his chest. As the pain set in, the Vicomte shirked, clenching his eyes closed. Erik rushed forward, gently lowering Raoul back down to the mattress.

"Hush Vicomte...Be still." Said he gently, holding Raoul down and looking into his eyes, "Raoul, stop moving." He said, and the boy instantly fell still, tears streaming down his cheeks. Erik shook his head, muttering softly as he turned and took a bottle of laudanum out of a drawer. Raoul followed the Phantom's movements with terrified curiosity. Erik poured a spoonful of the liquid out and nodded, turning back to Raoul.

"I need you to sit up...Carefully this time. Are you capable of doing so on your own?" Raoul shrugged, struggling up onto his elbows with a small whimper. "Easy lad..." Said Erik quickly, placing a gentle hand on the Vicomte's back. Slowly, Raoul managed to right himself, despite the burning pain in his chest.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked his voice grating against his throat.

"Why shouldn't I? You may be annoying, but you don't deserve death," Replied Erik, checking the blood-stained wrappings with a look of disgust, "Besides, it takes far too long to find a new patron." Raoul rolled his eyes, moving to lay back. Erik shook his head, holding the boy upright as he held up the spoon.

"One spoon, and then you can go back to sleep." Raoul eyed the medication wearily, a frown crossing his features. "Come on Vicomte." Erik sighed, pressing the spoon against the boy's lips. Raoul took the spoon and swallowed, gagging slightly. Erik chuckled quietly as he set the medication back in the drawer before standing to leave.

"Monsieur?" Raoul asked quietly, nuzzling back into the pillows.

"Oui Vicomte?"

"Please don't leave...Not yet." Erik froze mid-step, feeling his heart begin to race.

"What?" He asked, his voice hardly above a whisper.

"Please don't go..." Raoul asked again, sound like a frightened child. Erik sighed, turning back and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Better?" He asked, unable to hide the smile as Raoul's face lit up. The Vicomte nodded, his eyes sliding closed as the drugs took effect. Soon the boy was sound asleep, his face screwed in pain. Erik stood again, shaking his head with a fond smile.

"Sleep well Raoul..." He said softly, closing the door with a content sigh.


"Erik, am I allowed to leave yet?" Raoul groaned, picking up a pebble and skipping it across the lake. Erik looked up from his work, rolling his eyes.

"Firstly, don't ever call me that again..."

"Well it is your name, is it not?"

"Yes, but that isn't the point. Secondly, you can't leave until that would on your chest heals a little more." Erik snapped, turning back to his work. He heard the splash of a yet another stone, then silence. A sudden weight on his back pulled him away from his work once more.

"Raoul..." He growled, slowly setting his quill down and sitting up, "Get off me." Raoul smirked, and then spotted what the other man had been working on.

"What's this?" He asked, snatching the paper and holding it up to the light. Erik paled, lunging forward and trying to pry the paper from the Vicomte's grip. Although he was at a disadvantage in both size and strength, Raoul managed to keep the paper in his possession.

"Raoul!" Erik snapped, taking a swipe at the boy as he darted past. "Give me that paper now!" Raoul paused, tilting his head and looking first to Erik, then to the paper clenched in his fist. Erik's eyes followed Raoul's and he sighed.

"Look if you please, but you will have to leave now." Erik whispered, looking coolly at Raoul. The Vicomte bit his lip, sighing heavily and holding out the paper.

"Sorry..." He murmured as Erik snatched the paper and held it to his chest, his golden eyes glinting dangerously. Raoul shrunk back, whimpering softly. Erik looked at the boy's chest and cursed, noticing for the first time the blood soaking through the fabric of his shirt. Casting the paper aside, Erik stepped forward and took Raoul's arm, pulling him back to his appointed room.

Erik gently pushed Raoul onto his bed, muttering softly under his breath. The Vicomte followed his movements around the small room as the Phantom tried to find fresh wrappings. Soon Erik was kneeling beside Raoul, carefully undoing the soiled wrappings. After the fabric was out of the way, Erik gently placed the palm of his hand against Raoul's torso, taking a cloth and wiping away any dirt or dried blood. Raoul watched, wincing slightly at the dull pain the cleaning caused. Soon Erik moved away, wiping his hands on his pants before taking the fresh wrapping and tying it around Raoul's chest.

"That should do it..." He sighed, tying off the end of the wrapping. Raoul nodded his thanks, biting his lip as he watched Erik stand and tidy up. Raoul cleared his throat, standing and walking up behind Erik.

"Monsieur?" He asked quietly, clasping his hands behind his back. Erik turned with a raised eyebrow, tilting his head.

"Yes Raoul?" He asked, smirking as he noticed Raoul was rocking back and forth on his heels. The boy looked up, a soft blush tinting his cheeks. Raoul eventually met Erik's gaze and gave a small smile. Before Erik could speak, Raoul had put his hands on the Phantom's shoulder, gotten up onto his toes and pressed a gentle kiss to the unmasked half of Erik's face.

"Merci..." The Vicomte said quickly, ushering Erik out of his room and closing the door. Erik stood in stunned silence, his mouth hanging open. His hand drifted up to his face, gently touching his cheek. Had the boy just...? No, he couldn't have...He wouldn't have! Erik shook his head, muttering softly to himself and turning back to his organ.

"I should have left him to die..." He muttered, but he couldn't help but smile.

You don't mean that...Said the small voice in the back of his head.


"Where are we?"

"The prop room Raoul, one of the more hidden entrances to the lair."

"And you're willingly showing it to me?" Raoul asked skeptically, stepping out of the cupboard and dusting off his jacket. Erik nodded, setting the candle they had been using as a light down on a holder.

"Yes, but you are never to use it unless it's an emergency." He replied, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "Just open the cupboard, down the stairs and turn left." Raoul nodded, shuffling where he stood. Erik raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "Is there something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing monsieur...I was just thinking." Raoul replied, his head snapping up. Erik frowned, rolling his eyes and turning back to the stair case. Raoul took a deep breath, catching the Phantom's arm. "Wait..." Erik huffed, his shoulders slumping.

"What is it now?" He asked, turning back to face Raoul.

"I-I just wanted to thank you..."

"There is no need Vicomte, just don't let it happen again." Raoul nodded, looking down at his feet and chewing his lip in thought. Erik chuckled, clapping the boy lightly on the shoulder. "Good luck Vicomte, try not to mess up my Opera."

"I won't! Oh...And Erik?"

"Yes Raoul?" Raoul smirked, bouncing up onto his toes and wrapping his arms around Erik's neck, kissing him fiercely for a moment before breaking away. Erik stared at the boy in front of him, his mouth moving but no sound emerging. Raoul blushed bright red, looking down at his shoes.

"Right then...I'll be on my way." The boy said quickly, nodding curtly and walking across the room. Erik pulled himself out of his thoughts, looking up quickly.

"Raoul...Raoul, please wait." The Vicomte's hand froze on the handle, and he turned with a quizzical expression. Erik took the boy's hands, leading him away from the door. Raoul followed obediently, looking up at Erik in confusion. The Phantom gave Raoul an almost un-noticeable smile, tilting the boy's chin up and gently pressing their lips together.

To his credit, Raoul reacted rather well. The Vicomte squeaked, and then slowly let his hands snake around Erik's neck. Erik purred softly, gently nipping Raoul's bottom lip and smirking at the whimper he came as the response. Raoul freed one of his hands and ran it gently down Erik's chest. Suddenly, the Phantom's eyes snapped back into focus and he quickly pushed Raoul back, shaking his head. Raoul looked at him with a mixture of confusion and pity.

"Go back to your world Raoul," Said Erik firmly, "forget mine." And with that the man turned and hurried down the stairs, the light of the candle flickering before completely extinguished itself. Raoul stood in silence for several moments before smoothing his jacket and quickly exiting the room.

Raoul walked through the Opera in a confused silence. It was clear what had just happened, and yet he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that it actually had happened. As he set foot in the main hall, Andre, Firmin and Mme. Giry swarmed him, bombarding the Vicomte with questions.

"Good lord Raoul! Where have you been?" Andre demanded, looking the boy up and down. Raoul blinked, looking up at the three with a puzzled expression before shaking of the remains of his stupor and forced a weak smile.

"I just needed a couple days off..." He began to explain, but was quickly cut off by Firmin.

"A couple of days? Monsieur le Vicomte, you've been gone well over a week! You can't just vanish without warning like that! What do you have to say for yourself?" Raoul didn't respond, frowning in thought. He had been gone for over a week? Surely it wasn't that long...

"Alright Firmin, that is enough," Mme. Giry said suddenly, "He's back now, and everything ban go back to normal." She finished sternly, her expression daring the managers to challenge her. Raoul cleared his throat, a small smile working its way onto his face.

"No no Mme. Giry, an explanation is in order. After the wonderful party, I returned home. The next day I woke to a terrible flu and no voice. I couldn't send word to you, for I had no voice to say it!" Andre and Firmin exchanged a quick glanced, then shrugged. Both bidding Raoul and Mme. Giry a good evening, they strolled off down the hall. Raoul was about to follow when Mme. Giry grabbed his arm.

"Good cover Vicomte, but don't let it happen again." She said firmly, shaking her head.

"O-of course!...Wait, don't let what happen again?" He asked with a frown. Mme. Giry smiled slyly, turning and walking down the hall.

"You know what I speak of Vicomte..." She smiled, glancing over her shoulder and clapping her hands under her chin. "Oh your eyes..." She mocked before turning the corner and vanishing.


A/N: And yes, that piece of paper they were fighting over does have some importance later on...Of what exactly I'm not quite sure, but it has something to do with the end of this fic.