C/W: Explicit sexual content. Enjoy!
Christine de Chagny rolled over for what seemed like the hundredth time as sleep continued to elude her. Her bed in Erik's lovely home here on Coney Island was nothing if not comfortable, and when she had tucked Gustave into his own bed several hours earlier he had been sleeping peacefully when she left him. So neither her comfort nor any immediate concern for her son were contributing to keeping her awake.
No, there was no doubt that it was her intrusive thoughts about the man who owned this very house that were responsible for her inability to fall asleep. Ever since their near-disastrous night on the dock, Erik had been nothing but kind and courteous to her, while simultaneously keeping a firm distance between them.
He had made sure she had every advantage to allow her to recover from the gunshot wound that had nearly taken her life, and it truly warmed Christine's heart when she thought of the relationship that Erik and Gustave were building between them. At first she thought he had kept his physical and emotional distance from her due to the fact that she was healing from a serious injury, but now that her recovery was essentially complete, Erik was more distant from her than ever.
What had happened to the desire he had clearly felt for her before the accident? The kiss the two of them had shared that night before the almost-tragedy was the most passionate of her life, and she knew Erik had felt the same. Now, Christine often found herself wondering if Erik only wanted her in his home so that he could have his son with him.
Finally accepting that she wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon, Christine rose from the bed and reached for her wrapper, tying the belt over her nightgown. Maybe browsing Erik's well-stocked library for something to read would help her unwind enough to be able to get some rest.
xxxxx
When she opened the door to the dimly-light library and slipped inside, Christine couldn't help but give the room an appreciative glance, despite the turmoil of her current thoughts. Although Erik's entire home was beautiful, this room was her favorite. It just seemed so Erik - with dark, somewhat masculine furniture that still managed to be warm and inviting, and a truly gorgeous fireplace that practically begged a person to curl up in front of it and get lost in a book for hours.
Idly browsing the shelves, Christine realized that none of the titles were catching her interest. Where was an instructional tome on how to rekindle your relationship with the father of your child whom you were currently living platonically with, while the man who was technically still your husband was residing in another country? Perhaps she should write such a book - if she ever figured out the answer, of course.
"Are you looking for something in particular, Christine?"
At the completely unexpected sound of Erik's voice, Christine let out a little scream and spun around. "Erik! You startled me," she said unnecessarily, bringing a hand to her heart.
Instantly, he rose from the chair she hadn't noticed him sitting in and crossed the room to her in long strides. "Are you all right? I didn't mean to scare you," he said, hovering nervously in front of her as though uncertain what to do with himself.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine," she answered, feeling a little silly over her reaction.
"You're certain?" he asked, worry creasing the side of his brow that wasn't covered by his mask.
When she nodded, Erik seemed to collect himself slightly, and to Christine's dismay he took a step back, as though he didn't want to be as close to her as he currently was. Disheartened, she asked "Would you like me to go? I didn't mean to intrude."
"No," Erik answered, and then after another awkward pause, "Would you like me to go?"
"No, of course not," Christine replied, hoping Erik would take the hint she was trying to give him but found herself too embarrassed to state any more directly.
But to her dismay, Erik merely gave a small nod at her words and retreated to his chair, picking up his book again as though she wasn't even in the room.
Staring blindly at the shelves, trying not to cry, Christine found herself wondering how they had ever come to this state of affairs. After years spent longing for each other from afar, they were residing in the same house at last, with nothing to hold them back, and they seemed to be little more than acquaintances to one another.
Abandoning her search for something to read, Christine instead walked over to a window and gazed blindly at the sight of Coney Island before her in the dark. It was becoming more and more obvious that Erik only wanted her here because of Gustave. And as much as it was becoming intolerable to live with Erik's disinterest, she didn't have much other choice, at least for now.
Now that she had practically recovered from the shooting, it was possible that she could get her voice back into top shape and try to support Gustave and herself in that manner, but accomplishing that goal would take time even under ideal circumstances. And there was no way she was going to take Gustave from this place of affection and security until she could afford to give him a real home - no matter how much she felt herself dying inside living with Erik like this, Christine would always make Gustave's well-being her first concern.
At the thought of how many more months might go on in this manner, an involuntary sob escaped her, and within seconds Erik had crossed to her side once again.
Putting his hands on her shoulders, he gently turned her to face him. "Christine! Something is wrong! Please, tell me what it is. Do you need the doctor?"
"No, I'm fine really." Erik's urgent tone and the intense look in his eyes was nearly enough to convince Christine that he did care after all, but that hope was quickly dashed as he instantly dropped his hands from her shoulders and again took a step back from her.
Fists clenching at his sides, he continued, "Then why are you crying? What is wrong?"
Holding himself even more rigidly than his normally stiff posture, Erik took in the way his beloved's eyes shone with jewel-like tears as she gazed up at him imploringly. As he watched, one tear escaped and slid slowly down Christine's perfect cheek, no doubt echoing the escape she wanted to make from him.
And the worst thing about all this was the fact that he couldn't blame her in any way for wanting to be rid of him. Erik had haunted her her entire adult life, culminating in her nearly dying because of his actions. "You're not my prisoner, Christine," he said dully, unable to believe that soon he might have seen her for the final time. "You're free to go wherever you please. Of course, I'll provide you and Gustave a place to live and anything else you might need."
Erik had meant his words as a reassurance to her, but to his dismay Christine's lovely face seemed to crumple. What was he doing wrong? Even in trying to reassure her of her freedom, he was terrifying her. Defeated, he whispered, "Please, Christine, tell me what you require of me and you shall have it."
With a hand that shook slightly, Christine wiped away her tears, staring at Erik. "Do you really want us to go?" she whispered in return, dreading his answer.
"No! Christine, you are welcome here as long as you want to stay. I simply thought that perhaps you wanted to leave."
When she shook her head at his words, Christine thought maybe Erik's posture relaxed slightly. With no further thought, she heard herself asking the question that had truly been on her mind.
"Erik, do you...want me?"
Apparently misunderstanding her question, he answered immediately, "Of course, Christine, having you and Gustave here has been the happiest time of my life. I would be more than happy if it continued indefinitely."
For a moment, Christine nearly let him think that that was what she had been asking, but once again words flowed unbidden from her mouth.
"No, I mean do you want me? Do we have any hope of a future together?"
Erik froze, staring at her with those intense eyes, and for a horrible moment Christine was afraid she'd said too much, that she was about to go from wondering if Erik still desired her to hearing for certain that he did not, until he spoke.
"Oh, Christine, how can you even ask that? You are the entire world to me," he began, pausing for a moment as she could see him try to collect himself before he continued. "But, how could you want me? After everything I've done?"
When she merely stared back at him, Erik's shoulders fell and he started to turn away, but this time it was Christine's turn to reach out to him and stop him with a hand upon his arm.
"You want me?" she asked, waiting for Erik's hesitant nod. "Then, take me."
xxxxx
Dumbfounded, Erik could only stare in shock as Christine untied the sash of her robe before shrugging it off, letting it pool on the floor around her. Clad only in her thin nightgown, she took a step to close the distance between them until she was pressed up against him.
Feebly, he tried to protest. "Christine, you can't want this, want me."
In answer, she pressed a small finger to his lips. "Erik, I don't want to talk, not right now. Were you lying when you said you wanted me?" Silently, he slowly shook his head. "Well then, that's all I need to know," she finished before pulling his head down so that she could press a kiss to his lips.
Just like the last time they had kissed, that night in her dressing room, this kiss quickly turned into a passionate embrace, and soon they found themselves practically stumbling over to the wide sofa in the seating area, with Christine lying on her back and Erik stretched out on top of her. After a few moments, Erik felt her small hand brush the side of his mask in a silent question. Nodding, unwilling to stop kissing her for more than a second, he felt Christine untie it before she gently pulled it from his face.
When Erik felt her hand return to his face to cup his ruined cheek, he felt he might die of love for her, and when Christine then wrapped her arms around him before once more kissing him deeply, he was even more certain of it.
As Christine let her hand softly brush over the right side of Erik's face before she embraced him tightly and kissed him once again, she felt a deep sense of rightness, as though she was where she belonged at last. Getting lost in the moment, she felt herself becoming fascinated by the feel of Erik's lips against hers.
Although they had kissed before, never had they taken the time to simply explore each other's mouth with their own as they were doing now, Christine realized as she greedily took in every detail of Erik's lips, from the way the left side of his mouth was the same as anyone else's, to the way the bloated ridges on the right side felt against hers. He moaned with pleasure when she laved her tongue over his deformity there, and she privately vowed to take every opportunity in the future to show Erik how much she adored everything about him that made this man who he was.
Eventually, he pulled back from their kiss and reached for the hem of her nightgown, looking at her for permission as he clutched it. "Please, Christine," he whispered urgently, and she giggled, feeling powerful as she observed the naked yearning on his face.
"Yes," she answered simply, and felt a thrill when he pulled the nightgown from her body before sitting back on his heels next to the sofa and taking in every detail of her appearance with greedy eyes. Perhaps with anyone else, Christine would have felt self-conscious, but the worshipful way Erik was looking at her left no room for any doubt as to what he was thinking as he looked at her.
However, she saw his gaze darken as it fell on the scar from the night on the pier and then on the silver marks on her stomach. "I'm so sorry, Christine," he said, pain in his eyes as he looked at her in shame. "When you've needed me the most, it seems I've done nothing but fail you."
Wanting to stop this line of thinking before their night was ruined, she held her arms out to Erik. "Please, don't think about any of it right now. I'm here, and we're together. All right?"
Erik seemed to visibly collect himself, drawing a deep breath before leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the mark left from the healed gunshot wound. "Yes," he whispered in answer to her question before lowering himself over her once more.
As their lips met in another kiss, Christine wrapped her arms around Erik and spread her legs, enjoying the feeling of his lean hips settling against the cradle of her thighs. There was something incredibly arousing about being completely naked underneath him while he was still clothed in his waistcoat and trousers, she reflected as she stroked her hands over the soft sleeves of his shirt.
Soon she found herself grinding shamelessly against him, until Erik pulled back with a gasp, again settling to the side of the sofa, kneeling next to her as he began to play with her breasts, smiling in satisfaction as her nipples tightened under his touch. Leaning forward, he licked over both of them before sliding one hand down her stomach as he took the nipple closest to him into his mouth.
When Erik slid his fingers over the crease between Christine's thighs, the wet warmth that greeted him there was nearly his undoing. It seemed unbelievable that she could desire him like this, but the proof that she did was soaking his fingers as he slid one inside her, soon adding a second at her eager reaction. Groaning, he let her nipple slide from his lips as he moved back slightly, watching in fascination as he moved his fingers upward, searching for that small bit of flesh, greedily taking in her gasp of pleasure when he found it.
Nearly out of his mind with adoration for her, Erik leaned forward and pressed his lips to her sweet cunt without any further thought on the matter, only to pull back in embarrassment when Christine let out a muffled cry at his action.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, unable to look at her. What had ever possessed him to think that she would want him to do such a thing? But just as he made to rise and leave her in peace, shame washing over him, Erik felt Christine's hands grab at his shoulders.
"No, please, more," she urged, pulling him back toward her. Unable to resist an invitation like that, Erik pressed his lips to her again, tentatively at first, but when Christine let out a low moan at the contact, he let instinct take over, kissing and licking her opening before sliding upward to find her clit with his tongue.
When Erik flicked his tongue against her clitoris, the jolt was so pleasurable that Christine nearly shot off the sofa. Spreading her legs even wider, she moaned incoherent encouragement, but Erik must have understood, because he fastened his lips over her and began to suckle.
Throwing her head back, Christine grasped at his wig, holding him to her. Somehow, she had never imagined that Erik's mouth on her would feel like this - every time the deformed side of his mouth brushed against her, it set her every nerve even further aflame.
When he slid two fingers back inside her while continuing to work her clit between his lips, Christine was lost, feeling a powerful orgasm overtake her within moments as she cried out and continued to clutch Erik to her until it faded, and she let her hands drop from him, breathless.
Floating in a feeling of pleasant contentment for a few minutes, Christine eventually regained her senses enough to realize that Erik was still kneeling next to the sofa, his head laying on her stomach as he seemed to be making an effort to control his breathing. Moving over on the wide surface, Christine opened her arms to him.
"Will you hold me, Erik?"
He made a harsh inhale at her words, but she noticed he moved quickly, adjusting her so he could slide under her with her resting halfway on top of him. Christine felt a catch in her heart at the hesitant way he encircled her with his arms - even after what they had just shared her Erik was still unsure if she would welcome his attentions.
Snuggling against him, she murmured, "That was wonderful, Erik. Thank you so much."
Christine felt him nuzzle the curls at the top of her head before he replied. "The pleasure was all mine, my dear, believe me."
She gave a start at his words. "Oh! I wasn't thinking, Erik. Would you like me to…" Christine trailed off, still a little embarrassed at speaking so frankly in front of him, even after what they had just done.
Erik stiffened slightly beneath her. For a moment, she thought he wasn't going to answer her at all, but then he spoke. "There's no need. I, ah, already did." Now it was his turn to sound embarrassed, she reflected ruefully.
Slipping her arm around him in a hug, Christine replied, "Oh, I see. Well, we have the rest of the night - if that's something you'd be interested in."
Erik's breath hissed out between his teeth before he answered her. "Christine, you have no idea...I just didn't want to presume anything."
Deciding it was time that she made sure her thoughts on the matter were clear, Christine shifted so she could look Erik in the eye. "Erik, I want you. And not just tonight, but every night. If you want me in your life, that is."
She saw emotion burning in his yellow eyes before he squeezed them closed.
"There's nothing I want more, Christine," he said hoarsely, and the emotion in his voice left no doubt in Christine's mind about Erik's feelings for her any longer.
"Then it's settled," she said, hugging him tightly for a moment. "Shall we go to bed?"
"Together?"
"Well, I was hoping so," Christine answered, giggling when Erik pressed a quick kiss to her lips before rising from the sofa and then offering her his hand.
After Erik turned down the lamps while she pulled her nightgown and wrapper back on, he offered her his hand once again in the moonlit room, leading her out into the hallway. And as they walked slowly to his bedroom, Christine savored the feeling of her hand in his, knowing they were finally going to be the family they had always been destined to be.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment!
