22 Years Ago

Madeleine told a young Erik that it is impossible to love a monster, and that is what he is, a monster, for no decent human creature would have a face such as his.

For the longest time Erik had been convinced that a monster lived within the mirrors of his house and that it stalked him through the glass, which led to Erik's obsession of working and manipulating glass, to the point he can get others to see what he wants you to see.

Erik did agree with his mother on two points, one he is a monster, and two, he must keep his face entirely concealed, not half, not only a portion, but all of it covered, and he has and there have been no complaints, only fatal curiosity.

Then he met her, Antionette Giry, a dancer at some bar in Costa Rica. He forgot why he was there and the world at large when he saw her, Antionette was a dancer, she left home and made it her personal mission to travel all over the world and pick-up new dancing techniques, she wanted to learn all she could, a ballet class was not enough.

Antionette could flow with music in ways no other human could, it is as if the musical vibration formed a ballet around her, her body, her movements had its own manipulations, music wanted to please her, worship her.

Erik's stomach dropped to the floor. He has never been controlled by his desire before, but he could not ignore the blood screaming into his head, his heart, his trousers.

He needed her.

He found the courage to talk to her, they danced some, she criticized with an intoxicating barbed tongue, her insults fed something within him, it wasn't long enough before he took her in the back behind the bar and fucked her until the sun came up.

She pushed him away when she was tired and walked away into the wilderness, thinking nothing of it or that they would ever see each other again.

She came back to the bar the next night, and the next, and the same thing, they parted ways in the morning, believing it would be the last time they saw each other.

It was like that for a year, they found each other again by crazy random happenstance. Antionette found herself a spot in ballet chorus for some theatre and Erik recognized her body, her moves, her face. He did something he never does and waited for her.

"Wait, I know you." She stops and stares at him for a minute before she breaks off into laughter.

"You still wear that mask? Is it a culture thing?" Erik shakes his head.

"It's an Erik thing."

"Cool."

"Erik, I'd like to see the face of the man who rides me each night, so take it off," Antionette waves her finger around indicating her lover's mask. They are lounging on bed together, Erik Is wearing a long black silk kimono and Antionette is wearing a red corset and red panties with an open red silk robe.

Erik touches his white silk mask, and he is hesitant. Antionette whistles, she crawls closer to him, she climbs onto his lap and reaches to his mask, he grabs her hands.

"If you are to marry me, I need to see your face. I let you see my elbows, and you know I hate my elbows."

Erik makes a strange choking sound; Antoinette tears it off his face. Erik cries out in pain and panic; he covers his face with his hands protectively. Antionette, gently moves his hands out of the way.

Erik is not pretty, and Antoinette sucks in air and she recoils. She traces his enlarged veins and lines of his face with her fingertips, his skin is cold, which she knew it would be, he is freezing everywhere else on his body, parts of his skin are warm. Infection perhaps?

"I think you may have an infection. Your skin is warm in places, do you ever let it breathe or have gone to see a doctor?"

"No," Sensing a lecture and a long-winded performance Antionette silences him with her mouth.

"Taking you to a doctor, just to be sure, come on, get your pants on, I promise I'll take them off again soon," Antionette hops off him and goes through the dance of dressing.

After eight hours of waiting, they finally see a nurse, it is confirmed he has a minor infection, they have no name for his skin condition, but they do offer advice and the nurse ignores Erik's acrid tongue and wishes him well as they take their leave.

"Not so bad, you got medicine and your face is now going to be in the textbook of rare and weird diseases, you're welcome, lover." Antionette kisses his masked nose and leans into him as they walk.

"I love you, and your stupid infected face." Antionette sighs fondly, she squeezes his hand and he believes her.

Five Years Later

"Oh, please. Don't be ridiculous. She is your baby, Erik, your daughter, she will not turn from you because of your face. She loves you, you will be able to bond with her, if she sees your damn face. The masks are probably going to scare her!"

Erik is hesitant. This is his third attempt at the role of Father and he has never been so scared, nay, terrified of anything in his life before.

He has stared down the barrel of a gun, taken on fifty plus assailants, been poisoned multiple times, sexually assaulted, watched a woman he had "loved" fall to her death and die, watched men he loved set on fire and melt, forced to witness public executions, and this, a baby no more than four days old is scaring him shitless and he cannot stop shaking.

"Look at this, the once feared Angel of Doom, scared stiff by an infant. What would your girlfriend the khanum say?"

Antoinette, now Toni shakes her head. She is leaning against the doorframe and is flabbergasted by her husband behavior, he is usually cold, aloof and almost cruel with his indifference.

"She would have me executed by my own designs." Erik whispers, he is hesitant, he is not wearing his mask, by Toni's request, and the baby is asleep, for now.

"Erik, you have to hold her, she needs to know your scent, your touch, and yes, your gorgeous face." Toni walks over and stands beside him.

Erik reaches into the crib and he gently, hesitantly touches her, when she, Marguerite, makes no sounds of displeasure, he adds more pressure, he can feel perspiration begin to form and his breathing becomes increasingly erratic.

Finally, he holds her up, he brings her to his chest and turns to Toni, she rolls her eyes, she nods.

"Lift her up a bit, let her rest into your shoulder, she needs to be able to smell you, properly feel you, know you. Come on, we're bonding with baby."

Erik is shaking, he does not want to move her, but he does, he lifts her a bit more, her tiny head is resting into his shoulder, she uses her tiny hands to grab onto the fabric of his kimono.

"She didn't wake up, it means she feels safe, probably."

"Probably," Erik repeats,

"Good. Your turn for feeding and changing duty." Toni places her hand on his shoulder and squeezes, she blows him a kiss and winks before she turns away.

Meg cries an hour or later, she is hungry, Erik stumbles in, he is nervous, he is trying to keep composed, he is not wearing his mask, as requested, as he promised, he picks up the wailing child and he does his best to coo, to sooth, to shush.

He hums a song and her crying eventually ceases and she is enchanted by his voice, she is lost in his vocal sorcery and majesty. Erik changes her quickly. He takes her to the kitchen to feed her the formula, she holds onto the bottle as she drinks.

He puts her back into the crib, but Erik stops, her small hand holds onto his fingers and she squeezes, she closes her eyes and her hand drops. Erik tucks her in.

Now.

Raoul is impressed to say the least, he did not know what to expect if he is honest. Erik likes grand productions and is very much all the drama. There are so many fairy lights and candles that light a path to the picnic.

Two glasses and a bottle of champagne are waiting. Raoul takes a seat and looks up at the sky, the stars look like diamonds ready to be taken to be placed in jewelry, and in this moment he is happy.

"I didn't pack much in manner of food," Erik says, he pulls up a cheese and fruit tray, a plate of pita chips.

"They did not have the proper cracker or bread accompaniment, I assume you are ignorant of what should be paired with this, so it is irrelevant." Erik does not hide is vexation.

"It's cool, like you like to point out, I'm a discount viscount." Raoul eyes twinkle and Erik snorts and he recovers immediately.

"I don't think that," Erik says unconvincingly.

"Yes, you do," Raoul pours more champagne.

"I know we have much to work on in regard to our relationship, but I do have respect for you, even if it is not always obvious." Erik picks his glass and drinks for more courage.

"So, your face?" Raoul uses the edges of his sleeve to wipe his mouth, Erik paid for that suit and narrows his eyes, Raoul winces and moves away when he sees those yellow orbs turn fire.

"Yes. I do not like to do this. Perhaps more to prepare you?" Erik gesture to the bottle, Raoul shakes his head.

"I want to be somewhat sober for this moment. It's huge!"

"Ah. You may regret this, Raoul."

Raoul feels his heart swell with sharp happiness, he said his name! Erik hangs his head, he exhales deeply, he open and closes his hands, he brings them to the edge of his mask, he slowly unclamps the facets and he removes the mask from his face.

Erik lifts his bare face and Raoul stares, mouth agape, he reaches for the bottle and drinks from it. Raoul shakes his head, blows air like a walrus, and shakes his whole body.

Raoul holds out his hand, takes Erik's hand into his and smiles and says:

"Hello, Erik, it's very, very nice to finally meet all of you."