Raoul made the unfortunate discovery that he's highly allergic to a compound that is in the allergy medicine that's included in the injection. Something he had not anticipated. Raoul is in the hospital, his heart stopped for two minutes, he's been in and out of consciousness for the last three days.
His brother finds it annoying. Raoul has always been the dramatic one. Raoul fell off his horse when he was 12, broke his ankle and ruined the rest of that Summer's vacation because their mother made Philly into Raoul's personal medical assistant. Being forced to take care of your little brother interferes with your sexual game and Philly will always be bitter about that summer.
And here they go again, Raoul is sick, he's ruining Philly's Sorelli game, because now instead of being able to fuck around, he has to step up and take Raoul's place at the Opera as a responsible manager, because dumbass did not hire a second.
"I don't want to do this." Philly says to the empty room. He throws down a pen dramatically and pouts aggressively. He's angry. He doesn't want to be here.
He asked Erik if he would consider a position of manager.
"That would adversely interfere with my income," Erik's voice bounces around the enclosed space. They are in box five. Philly felt that it would be a natural and fitting meeting place for the Phantom.
"Only cowards hide in the shadows!" Philly hisses. He instantly regrets it, as Erik's hand suddenly appears at his throat and he is walked backwards and pressed into the wall.
"I may have misheard you there." Erik smiles angrily behind his mask; he breathes into Philly' neck.
"You are beautiful person and an asset to the Opera." Philly gasps. This appeases the Phantom; he kisses Philly neck with his cool masked lips and goes back to the shadows.
"Thought so, my darling."
Philly hangs his head and reaches for his heart. He slides down to the floor and slowly regains his composure. He finds newfound respect for his brother, being able to handle that.
On the fourth day Raoul wakes up and stays awake for a few minutes. He does not know where he is or how he got to where it is he is. He pokes at the thin tubes in his hands and tries to pull them out. A nurse fights with him before Raoul loses the energy.
"Welcome back." Erik smooths out Raoul's hair and holds his hand. Raoul is still confused and does not have much energy in him. He cannot lift his head, it feels like he is weighed down by bricks, rocks and cinderblocks. He winces as he fails miserably at raising his head to look over at Erik. It's equally difficult to look up.
"Am I dying?" His voice is raspy and weak. He swallows and he winces. The pain is intense. Did he swallow a knife too?
"You technically died," Erik's voice is soothing and Raoul likes it, wants to hear more of it and tries to move towards its sonorous beauty, but his body is heavy and in pain.
"I know you," Raoul says in a kind of drunk sleepy way. Erik nods.
"You're allergic to the medicine they gave you for your allergies. You stupid boy, why'd you do that?" Erik squeeze's Raoul's hand and he tries to keep anger from his voice.
"I have to go to the Opera. I have to do the things," Raoul tries to find strength to leave the bed.
"You're in no condition to do anything, Leto," Erik is amused, he likes that Raoul is in such a weakened state. He can practice and show off his altruism by taking care of his pathetic lover.
"I have to go." Raoul tries to sit up, but he cannot lift his head.
"Not today," Erik's voice is cool and soothing like a pool of healing water. Raoul wishes he could bottle it.
"O.G. Have to," Raoul trails off as he slips off into slumber. Erik frowns as Raoul referred to, "O.G," and they should really be past that. Erik is about to leave when Raoul captures his attentions once more.
"Erik," Raoul moans softly. Erik leans over kisses his forehead.
Philly finds the note. He's not sure why Erik is still sending notes. He reads through it and puts it aside in his thoughts and aside on the desk. He has other things to worry about, like Sorelli and how to impress her. He's in charge while Raoul is out, so he can do all the things he feels Raoul slacks off at.
Like proper casting.
"You can't change the casting! These are my players! I know what they are capable of!" Reyer bares his teeth and spits hot fire. He does not care who Philly is related to; this will not stand.
"I can and I am. Sorelli is the lead, she and Christine will switch."
Reyer is shaking with fury.
"No."
"Yes."
"You do not know what you're doing." Reyer hisses. The rest of the players stand in idle fear and silence.
"It'll be fun."
"You are toying with powers beyond your ken," Reyer can feel hot tears of rage and frustration form and fall down his cheeks,
"I'll live."
"We'll see about that." Reyer whispers bitterly.
The costumes, Carlotta and the other wardrobe assistants discover the next morning, have been destroyed. They are no longer recognizable. There was a time where Carlotta herself had been guilty of such a crime, but not anymore, not this time. They know who did this.
"The Opera Ghost." Carlotta holds onto her crucifix and prays to God in heaven that all will end well.
"What are we going to do? We may not have enough time to rebuild!" A young thing cries out. Carlotta hisses at her to be silent.
"Do what we can, do not waste time we do not have comparing about it!" The others scatter and begin to do what they can.
Sorelli storms into the office, she is pale and shaking. Philly wants to hold her, whisper things into her sweet, delicate ears.
"Switch our parts back." Her voice is shaky. She clenches her fists and she refuses to look Philly in the eyes.
"Why?"
"I don't want it. Switch us back."
"Is it that manager of yours, Reyer? Look, he's afraid of flies. Don't worry about him." Philly smiles and sorts through the mail he has no intention of reading. He adds it to the Raoul pile.
"It's not him I'm afraid of!" Sorelli shrieks. She storms out of the office. Philly exhales. He promised Raoul he would also, keep up Erik's charade of being a ghost, but it's really starting to grow beyond. Sane and mature people stop playing childish games. They grow up. Erik needs to grow up.
Two sandbags drop from the sky and nearly kill Meg and Jess. They were able to move out of the way in the nick of time. Reyer is about to pull out all of his hair. Raoul isn't there to keep his crazy at bay and Jules is too busy with last minute wedding stuff.
The cast walks off stage and refuse to work until their safety is guaranteed. Philly fires two stagehands he blames for the near fatalities.
"You what is behind this!" Reyer screeches. He feels like he may combust. He tries to count and he walks off stage fuming.
All the food has been removed from the fridge and placed in the center of the floor. The cabinets are open, the dishes have been removed and stacked neatly on the counters and floor.
Philly finds an animal carcass waiting for him in bed. Philly throws out his sheets and calls a locksmith, the locks cannot be changed until tomorrow. Philly sits in his chair, pistol in hand. He does not sleep a wink. When he feels himself start to drift off to sleep, he hears a soft, sad, delicate song.
There is something chilling about the melody. It terrifies him. He cannot sleep. He keeps the lights on all night.
Philly has to force himself to go to the office in the morning. He's jumpy, he does not trust anyone and he panics at any movement. He locks the door of his office as soon as he enters, he moves cabinet in front of the door for extra security.
He walks around to the chair at the desk and collapses. He rests his head on the desk and fights back the urge to cry.
It is soft at first. Does not fully register, so he shrugs it off, ignores it. It grows louder, subtly, but steadily. Cold, cruel, absence of happiness and mirth, laughter. Philly grabs his ears and tries to think of better places and times.
"Are we ready to apologize?" The voice asks. Philly nods, he does not dare to look at the Phantom, he nods, the Phantom smirks and he kisses and pets Philly lovingly.
"Say it," the Phantom asks, he raises Philly head.
"I apologize."
"Good boy," he praises and pets Philly once more roughly before the Phantom takes something from his pocket and drops it onto the desk. Once he feels he is safe, Philly looks at what the Phantom left him: a dog biscuit. Philly throws it against the wall.
Raoul is happy. He gets released tomorrow. He cannot stand to be in the hospital anymore. Reyer's reports of what's been happening have left him bitter and sad. He begged Erik to leave Reyer in peace, a wish that Erik honored. He did not bother or seek Reyer out for insidious amusement. He could not protect his brother however.
"He must be taught and trained. If he acts out, he will be punished, his behavior corrected. I will not let him slight me because of our relationship. He is lucky I do not kill him on the spot."
Raoul would have protested, but Erik shoved a spoonful of green Jell-o into his mouth. Erik has been playing up the caring lover.
Raoul did his best. Raoul wishes that Erik did not see others his unruly pets and left Raoul questioning how Erik truly views Raoul. Is he a sexy sort of dog? The idea makes Raoul ill. He shudders. Ew.
"Something wrong?" Erik asks, he looks up from reading. Raoul must have done something to earn his attention. Before Raoul knows he's saying, this escapes his lips:
"I don't bark!" Raoul blurts and then slaps his mouth. Erik is amused by this and tilts his head. He moves to Raoul's side and touches his forehead.
"What drugs are you on, Leto?"
"Cats!" Raoul shouts suddenly. He paws at Erik and he has no idea what he's doing. Erik takes Raoul's writs and holds them and waits for Raoul to calm the eff down. He does. Raoul relaxes and Erik lets him go.
"I did not touch Ayesha before I came here. I changed my clothing." Erik tugs at his shirt.
"Man-cat god," Raoul says before he falls backwards onto his pillows. Erik exhales and he watches his lover with annoyance.
"Leto, I told you, I am not a cat." Erik will never understand where that conspiracy theory came from. Probably Reyer.
Raoul giggles.
"He wear mask to hide face. Don't pet me!" Raoul pulls the blanket to cover his head. Erik blames the drugs. He knows they are good, he took some for his personal use.
Erik pulls the blankets back and leans his masked face in, just barely touching Raoul's face.
"I am no cat. This is trying my patience." Erik taps Raoul's forehead twice. Raoul eee's and nods. Erik smooths out Raoul's hospital gown.
"I have to go soon, do you need anything?"
"Copulations!"
Erik kisses Raoul.
"No. You're not in the proper state for that." Erik stands up straight and goes to gather his things.
As soon as Erik moves through the magic hidden door he is punched in the mask. He is too stunned to move at first. He looks over at the fool who is asking for death.
Toni.
Her arms at her sides. She is fuming with fury. She waits for Erik to recover before she starts forward and starts slapping, punching and hissing.
"You son of a bitch! You didn't think I'd find out! You almost killed her with a sand bag to scare some stupid manager! Then she tells me you chloroformed her?!" Toni uses all her strength and energy.
"I trusted you! You promised me you'd change!" She squeals, it breaks her voice.
"Mother?!" Meg runs to the sound of her mother's screeching, banshee screaming. Toni crawls over to the magic door, presses something, and it closes leaving Meg alone on the other side.
