Disclaimer: I do not own PhofOp.

Scars Explained

Raoul enjoyed it when Erik touched him. Ever since he had found out that Erik placed his hand on people's faces to see them, Raoul used every opportunity to have him do so. He had to admit that it had been awkward at first, it was weird to have half your face covered by a hand but the fact that Erik had willingly touched him was enough for him to get used to it quickly.

It also help that Erik's touched eased the pulled Raoul felt towards him. While it helped to be in his presence alone, it turned almost nonexistent as their skin was in contact. The urge to bite and drink would also go down, making Raoul all the more wanting to remain in contact for as long and as often as possible.

Raoul knew that Christine was the same way, though she was a lot more subtle about it. She was always the more patient one of the two of them.

Erik didn't seem to mind when Raoul or Christine would asked him, though Raoul was sure that Erik had been awkward as much as they had been at first with the whole thing. But after a while, when Erik was sure that they wouldn't take back their permission from him, he would sometimes reach his hand out towards one of them, waiting patiently for them to take it and guide it to their face.

The first time Erik had done it, Raoul knew that if he had a beating heart, it would have skipped a beat because the hesitation in Erik's gesture was just about the most trusting motion towards either of them as of yet and he couldn't let that go without a response. So he had taken Erik's hand in his and immediately raised it to rest against one side of his face. He made sure that Erik had been able to feel the smile that was on his lips.

After that, Erik showed less hesitation and was more willing to let them take his hands when they wanted to.

Of course, they wouldn't do such things when Erik needed his hands, but when they would spend time in his shop, talking about anything and everything, they would be the ones who usually asked Erik.

Erik's hands weren't soft, but they weren't rough either. They were hands of a writer, that much Raoul could tell, and that of a music player. The calluses all in the right place for someone who played a variety of instruments.

They were beautiful.

What Raoul didn't love had something to do with him developing a hate for the smell of vanilla and fabric.

That was the scent of Mme. Giry and Raoul felt like he was smelling it all the time now. The ballet instructor seemed to be around every time Raoul and Christine visited Erik, especially at the music shop. Raoul knew that she was suspicious of the two of them and he had argued with Christine at least a dozen times to compel the woman to forget her suspicions. However, they couldn't do that even if they had wanted to because the madam had apparently told something to Mr. Khan, making the cop wary of them as well.

Technically, they could compel both of them, but they didn't want to risk Erik noticing a difference in his friend's attitudes towards them. That was a shame, because Raoul really wanted to compel the madam. At least, she wasn't openly accusing them of anything, right now it was only small side glances when she thought they wouldn't notice. Of course, Mme. Giry being Erik's close friend, when she showed up Erik would pay her more attention than them. Which Raoul was pretty positive that she knew, however, they dealt with it. The last thing that they needed was for her to ruin their chances with their mate.

Raoul and Christine might not be able to resist the pull towards Erik, but Erik could. If he decided that he didn't want anything to do with them anymore, he could walk away and the two of them would be left with the never ending urge to be closer.

At least, that's what Christine had told him. He was willing to accept her explanation since she knew a lot more about… well everything that they were. Still, she had also said that the odds of that happening were small. It hardly ever happens because, while the mate can resist and walk away from the pull, they had a form of one as well. A need to be closer, but mates didn't have it nearly as bad.

Raoul remember that when he had been human and he had first met Christine. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and the most fascinating. Nothing she did was what Raoul had been used to growing up and he could not get enough of her presence.

Raoul doesn't know how much of their beginning had been the pull or if it had been his own interest, but he certainly had never fought whatever urge to be with Christine. It made him wonder how the pull felt to Erik. The man didn't seem to be acting in any way that would say he was as eager to be with them, as they were with him.

Then again, Erik was a man in his mid-forties while Raoul and Christine were a couple that appeared to be in their late twenties. If Erik was feeling the pull, he was probably brushing it off as a look towards a strange friendship.

Raoul knew that they were in a unique situation but they were trying their best to make do with what they could.

And having Mme. Giry around was not helping!

Today was a lucky day, Mme. Giry was busy helping her daughter go shopping for things they needed to get for her dorm room. As a result, Raoul knew that he didn't have to worry about her showing up. Christine was also working, therefore it was only him and Erik in the shop.

Raoul was currently watching Erik from the front counter do something to the inside of one of the pianos. His back was to him, the top of the piano was open and Raoul observed the careful but non-hesitating motions of his hands through the movements of his shoulders.

He had no idea what Erik was doing but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed the view he was getting, the scent of apple and parchment strong in the air.

There had been something playing on Raoul's mind for a while but he hadn't had the courage to bring it up. It was a sensitive topic but he was sure that they were far enough in their relationship for him to ask.

At least, he hoped so.

"Hey Erik." Raoul asked softly to not startle him.

He heard Erik give a hum to let him know that he was listening but did not pause in his movements.

"Can I ask, um…?" Raoul trailed off sheepishly. Now that he had begun to ask, he felt foolish for trying to bring the subject up in the first place. "How did…?"

Erik stopped what he was doing and straightened, but he didn't turn around.

"You wish to know how I became blind." Erik stated matter-of-factly.

If Raoul could blush he would've. He hurried to speak. "Ah, only if you're willing to tell me! I don't want you to think that you have to—!"

Erik turned his head around towards Raoul with a raised eyebrow, instantly causing Raoul to stop talking. When he was quiet, Erik shrugged and started to head back to the counter.

Raoul thinks he would forever be amazed at the ease Erik walked through the shop. There wasn't the slightest pause in his stride. If it wasn't for the fact that Erik's golden eyes held an unfocused gaze in them, Raoul would've thought that Erik could see as well as anyone. Raoul knew that it had to do with Erik having the place memorized in his head and having everything exactly the way he wanted everything, but it was cool to watch.

"I do not consider it something painful or anything." Erik remarked, coming to a stop across the counter from Raoul. He laid his hands on the counter top and leaned some of his weight on his hands for a moment before relaxing back. "It happened and I've spent the majority of my life with it."

"What happened?" Raoul dared to ask.

"I was five," Erik began simply. "My mother was fond of cigarettes and one night had forgotten to make sure that a lite one was out. I woke up to smoke and flames, but that wasn't what caused my blindness."

Erik paused for a moment before continuing. "I had ran into the kitchen because it had been the closet exit to my room. The fire had spread to that room by that point and we had gas pipes inside. The heat had melted them and I was there the moment the fire touched the gas."

"It caused an explosion." Raoul whispered.

Erik nodded. He gestured at his eyes. "The light and heat burned my eyes and the fire burned my face."

Raoul frowned as he looked at Erik's face. "Those don't look like burn scars."

"Yes, well, this is the result of the surgery I underwent as a child after the fire." Erik informed him with a shrug. "I know I do not look normal but with the inability to see how I look or other's reactions, why should I care? The odds of being repaired enough to look 'normal' were unlikely anyway and extremely expensive."

"And your mom? What happened to her?" Raoul pressed.

Erik was quiet long enough that Raoul began to think he might have gone too far but then he opened his mouth.

"She…was placed in prison for neglect and endangerment of a child. Twenty years, but she got out early for good behavior, by that time I was 19, having spent my childhood in foster care." Erik sighed. "The only reason why I knew she had even gotten out was because Nadir had told me, apparently she wished to have nothing to do with me and I never saw her. That's what happened to her."

Raoul swallowed hard, he hadn't known that Erik's past was like that. All he wanted to do was curl up into a ball of shame and allow the floor to engulf him. Then he noticed the frown on Erik's lips and the tapping of his index finger on the counter. Raoul had learned that Erik tended to tap his index finger on something when he wanted to know someone's expression but didn't want to ask.

Raoul reached across the counter and took Erik's hand. Erik blink, at having been grabbed but didn't fight his grip as he placed his hand on his face.

"I'm not exactly wearing a specific expression." Raoul told him, letting go of his hand.

"That's not true." Erik countered. He moved his hand across Raoul's face as he spoke, using his fingertips to see. "Your eyebrows are creased downwards, your eyes are squinting slightly and one side of your mouth is lifted but it's a tight mouth."

Erik took his hand away from Raoul's face. "My story has sadden you."

Raoul grimaced. "Guess I can't hide anything from you."

Erik's frown got deeper, his own eyebrows furrowing down. "I did not mean to upset you. My blindness does not bother me, nor does the reason behind it. I have long since gotten over any anger I have felt."

"Still, you can't blame me for being a little upset. No one wants to hear that someone they care about has something bad happen to them, even if it was a long time ago." Raoul protested.

Erik blinked a couple times in surprise. The expression made Raoul realize what he had said and he was grateful that even if Erik could see, Raoul couldn't blush.

"Uhh…" Raoul stated awkwardly, not knowing what to say without putting his foot in his mouth.

But then Erik gained a small smile and it was like the whole shop was suddenly brighter for it.

That made it totally worth it.

And there we go! Got another chapter down and since it was Raoul, I hope it was more entertaining. :) Gave you a little bit of a background and, of course, Raoul being Raoul! Hope you enjoyed it because you're probably not going to be expecting what happens in the next chapter! Lol. Which will be in Erik's POV. See ya next time!