Disclaimer: I do not own PhofOp.

Christmas Warmth

"How are you feeling?" Christine asked, trying not to make sudden movements.

"I would feel better if you were not sitting like a statue." Erik replied, not opening his eyes. "Other than that, I am fine."

Christine let out a slow breath through her nose, trying to force herself to relax, but she was only able to make a fraction difference.

"Christine." Raoul teased playfully from his spot on the other side of the couch. "Relax, Angel's right, you look like you're made of stone."

Christine sent him a glare. "You want to switch if you think you'll be better?"

Raoul raised his hands in surrender with an apologetic grin, obviously not wanting to truly take Christine up on her offer. Satisfied, she turned back to glance down at Erik.

"I think I need to do something that'll distract me. Something that'll take my mind off things."

Erik opened his eyes, and those glazed golden eyes looked up in her direction. Christine felt strange as she always did when Erik was able to place exactly where she was with his eyes, the power behind those glassy eyes making her hold back a shudder lest Erik feel it.

"This is supposed to be therapeutic for me. I do not see how we will be able to do that if you are uncomfortable." Erik remarked. "Do you wish to stop?"

"No, it's fine." Christine replied hurriedly. She brought one hand up and gently touched Erik's forehead. "Can I just…play with you hair or something?"

Erik blinked in surprise then took on an amused smirk. "If that will help."

That was how the others found them a few minutes later. Mr. Khan walked into his apartment and instantly smirked at the sight the three of them on the couch made. Mme. Giry entered behind him and gained a similar expression.

Christine was sitting on one end of the couch while Raoul sat on the other side. Erik was lying on his side across the couch with his feet resting in Raoul's lap while his head was in Christine's. Christine ran her fingers through Erik's hair that wasn't gelled back. Without the gel slicking it back, Christine noticed that it was longer than she had originally thought, but she was also pleasantly surprised by how soft it was.

It has been a couple months since Erik had gotten out of the hospital and he has come a long way since. Erik's hasn't had nor nearly had any panic attacks since the first couple weeks and Christine and Raoul were able to be within the same room as him without Erik having any trouble in their presence. Neither Christine nor Raoul has taken any movement to going near Erik's neck, which may or may not remained a sensitive spot, but were happy to be where they were at regardless. Erik had been the one to suggest their current position. He had told them that Dr. Webber had suggested it and saw no harm in trying if it was okay with them.

Of course they agreed, anything to help him.

Christine had been the one to volunteer her current position and while she didn't regret it, it made her realize how awkward it was to have the person she loved that close to her in an intimate position yet not for those reasons. It had made her stiff and unsure of what to do.

"Merry Christmas!" Meg exclaimed, coming into the apartment with a beaming smiling.

Instantly, Erik straightened up from his spot on Christine's lap and with a matching grin. He reached his hands out, which Meg immediately went to and clasped in hers. Pulling her uncle up from the couch, they embraced. Christine tried not to miss the warmth that had left her when Erik moved but her smile wasn't forced as she watched.

"I have missed you!" Erik stated happily, pulling back from the hug but held his niece by her arms. "Let me have a look at you."

"I look exactly the same!" Meg laughed, but didn't pull away as Erik traced her face.

"Hmm…I would not say that." Erik rejected with a frown but the tone of his voice was teasing. "Is that a new wrinkle?"

Meg gasped in mock outraged and playfully punched her uncle's arm, making him chuckle.

"Alright, you two, that's enough." Mme. Giry stated with an amused spark in her eye. She turned towards Raoul and Christine and nodded her head to them. "Merry Christmas you two."

"Merry Christmas!" Raoul almost exclaimed in his excitement. Neither Christine nor Raoul really celebrate Christmas, to them there was never a need to because all they had was each other and that was enough. They did enjoy the season itself and the atmosphere it brought. This was perhaps the first time in a century since they had other people to share it with.

Another woman came out of the kitchen. "What? I don't get a greeting?"

Mr. Khan smiled and went to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Merry Christmas Rook."

Rook smiled, a charming blush appearing on her cheeks. "Merry Christmas."

"Has Nadir proposed yet?" Christine heard Meg whisper faintly to Erik.

Erik subtly shook his head. "Trust me, you would be told if he did."

Meg let out a disappointed huff.

Mme. Giry ushered everyone to sit down. Erik sat back down on the couch in between Christine and Raoul while Meg sat down on the floor at his feet. Mme. Giry sat in the arm chair while Mr. Khan brought in two chairs from the dining room for him and Rook to sit in. One by one, everyone opened their gifts. Laughter and smiles went all around and Christine watched with a feeling of warmth in her chest. She and Raoul had told everyone to not get them presents, they had only wished to be part of the experience on the day. The others had agreed, but only if they agreed to not give them gifts either. Christine and Raoul saw it as a good compromise, they were tempted to break it for Erik, but didn't.

So when Erik stood up to leave the room for a few moments and returned with his hands behind his back, Christine was instantly suspicious. Everyone had finished opening their gifts already and the others had a knowing expression. Meg moved from her spot on the carpet closer to her mother to be out of the way.

"Angel—" Christine began.

"Forgive me." Erik interrupted with a sheepish grin, a light blush appearing on his cheeks at the nickname. "I had planned on this before you told me your desire to not receive anything and I could not think of another occasion where I would be able to give it to you soon enough."

"What is it?" Raoul asked, the curiosity in his tone and posture as he straightened up on the couch.

Erik grinned and moved around the couch expertly until he was in front of the couch facing them. Christine hadn't been able to get a glimpse of what was behind him since Erik had moved purposely in a way that they wouldn't be able to. After a moment, Erik brought his hands forward and Christine saw what looked like two thermoses.

"You got us a thermos?" Raoul asked, his eyebrows drawing downwards in confusion.

"The gift is what's inside them." Erik replied easily, holding them out.

Christine took the one held out towards her and Raoul did the same. She turned the thermos in her hand before looking up and saw the wide grins on everyone's faces. Curious, she began to open the lid.

"I would not open those until you are back in your apartment." Erik announced suddenly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Based off what Nadir and Antoinette have told me, you would have a rather abrupt reaction to the content."

Christine took a sharp breath in and almost dropped the thermos. Struggling to get her grip on it again, she looked up at Erik with wide eyes once she did.

"You mean it's…" she started but was unable to finish.

"My blood? Yes it is." Erik answered causally. "There's about a pint in each of them, I would have gotten more but I did not know what your reaction would be to them."

"How in…This is…" Christine struggled to get a complete sentence out but her amazement caused her mind to lose her words.

"Awesome!" Raoul finished in glee. He held his own thermos tightly to his chest. "This is the best gift ever!"

Erik let out a chuckle. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it!" Raoul countered. "How are we going to repay you? This is kind of too awesome to not do anything in return."

Erik brought his hands in front of him. "No no, it's a gift and should be treated as such. You do not owe me anything."

"Still…" Christine began, finally getting her words back. "I feel like we should do something. This was an extremely thoughtful present."

Erik shrugged.

"You know," Meg abruptly joined in with a cheeky grin. "You haven't been to see the light show yet, and I doubt Christine and Raoul know about it. They should take you."

"The light show?" Christine asked with a curious tone.

"Meg—" Erik warned.

Meg, ignoring her uncle, nodded. "Yep, it's something the city does every year downtown. They make the center park into a Christmas light show. Erik goes every year but hasn't had the chance to yet."

"Oh, that sounds cool." Raoul stated, leaning forward in his spot.

Erik sent his niece a playful scowl. "You little minx, you know that we always go together."

Even though he couldn't see it, Meg gained an innocent look that match her tone. "And I'm perfectly fine with you going with them this year."

Erik shook his head with a small sigh. For a moment, Christine thought that he would reject the idea but instead he grinned.

"Alright."

"Wow, this is pretty nice for a small city." Raoul remarked as the three of them entered the park where the light show was a couple days after Christmas.

Christine had to agree with him. The lights were lovely without being over the top, as some places and houses tended to do. More lights didn't always make things a pleasant sight. But the park they were in had a good combination of lights and props. The theme this year was winter wonderland so instead of a bunch of Christmas specific props, there were instead snowmen and white and light blue lights among the trees to make the area look like snow.

The area was filled with other people, couples, friends, and families, but it wasn't crowed. Christine's senses were a little overwhelmed by all the different scents everywhere that were also intermingling but she stayed close to Erik, whose alluring scent was able to drown out all the other ones.

Erik walked in between her and Raoul, her having her arm interlocked with his while Raoul held Erik's free hand in his, his other hand being used to hold his cane as it swerved back and forth on the sidewalk.

"Describe it to me." Erik requested and Raoul did as asked.

Christine watched the two of them for a moment, feeling content. Sure she still had that nagging pull in her gut, but it was mostly silenced by Erik's close proximity and had been tamed a little after drinking Erik's blood.

Christine and Raoul had gone back to their apartment that Christmas night and the first thing they did was drink the gift that was Erik's blood. When they had left Erik's home, Christine could immediately tell whose blood it was inside the thermos, having been cut off from Erik's scent in the apartment. They had warmed the blood and upon opening the thermoses, Christine and Raoul's fangs descended and they drank.

It had been like eating the apple of Eden, the warm liquid running down Christine's throat like velvet and filling her to satisfaction. The blood of her mate causing her body to feel like it was basking in the sun on a nice summer day.

It had ended all too quickly and she had wanted more but forced herself to be content. Maybe someday she'll be able to have more, but for now, she will be grateful for the amount she had received. The fact that Erik had given them such a gift was huge in Christine's opinion, for she never expected such a thing. After what Carlotta and her gang had done, Christine thought that she would never get the chance to taste her human mate's blood, but Erik had found a compromise and it was an effective one.

How she loved this man.

Christine sighed peacefully and leaned against Erik, walking to his pace. She listened to Raoul trying to describe everything he could see for Erik and watched the people around them.

"It sounds lovely." Erik remarked once Raoul finished.

"Angel?" Christine began. "Why do you like coming here? It's pretty here but…"

"But I cannot see that?" Erik finished, the grin in his tone. Christine nodded against his arm and he continued. "I enjoy the atmosphere and hearing everybody. There is a lot of pleasant energy that one cannot help but feel engulfed by it. I enjoy hearing the sounds of the couple's talking in love, the children playing, and the groups of friends laughing. It creates a wonderful sight to me."

If Christine's heart was beating she was sure that it would has burst from the achingly sincere answer. Instead, she squeezed her arm around Erik's and continued to walk…

"I hope you two enjoyed yourselves." Erik remarked later as they came back from the park and were standing in front of Erik's apartment.

"It was nice." Christine answered with a soft grin. "I certainly wouldn't mind doing something like that again."

"Me neither." Raoul agreed.

Erik gained a happy grin that Christine wanted to kiss. "I'm glad and maybe we can someday. Goodnight you two."

As Erik went to open the door, Christine stopped him.

"Ah, Erik?"

Erik paused and turned his head back towards them with a hum.

Christine glanced at Raoul real quick and understanding took in Raoul's eyes. Together they spoke.

"We love you." Both of them declared firmly and affectionately.

Neither of them has said it again since Raoul had accidently confessed it to Carlotta but Christine felt that the moment was right to say it again. This time in a less dire circumstance.

Christine saw the light pink shade come across Erik's cheeks at their declaration.

"I…" Erik started but didn't finish. His keys fumbled in his hand as he blushingly try again. "I…"

"It's alright." Christine soothed, going to him and pressed her lips to his cheek. "You don't have to say anything."

Erik was able to use her movement to clasp his hand onto her shoulder. He quickly slide his hand from her shoulder to her face.

"I care deeply for the both of you." Erik admitted awkwardly, his eyes downcast and his cheeks a deeper pink.

It wasn't what Christine had expected, so she made sure that Erik felt the wide smile that engulfed her face.

"Okay." Christine reassured softly. "Okay."

"Goodnight, Angel." Raoul whispered with a small grin.

Erik took his hand away from Christine's face, his blush getting deeper at the nickname as it always did, and nodded. "Goodnight."

With that, their human mate went inside.

And there we go for the latest chapter! Sorry for the slight delay, I had just gotten back from a very exhausting week. Next chapter will be in Erik's POV.

Speaking of next chapter. I will be unable to update chapters for a while. I've mentioned this before and the time has come for a bit of a gap to happen. And I'm talking months, soo yeah. Rest assured. I will return and get the rest of the chapters updated. There are only three more chapters after this one. The only way this work will not be completed is if I die, which I would hope not. Lol

This is the last time, you'll be hearing from me for a while. Hey, who knows? Maybe my little getaway will be cut short? But I will return.

See ya next time!