When Christine came in sight if him, Erik stood abruptly from his couch,
not taking his eyes off of her the whole time it took her to exit the
rowboat and enter the flat. She strode up to him and bit her lip, nodding
once to show that her deed was done.
"Good," Erik sighed. "I'm sure you didn't tell the boy anything that might lead him to stumble upon my little hideout? Because we really wouldn't want him to... mysteriously disappear, now, would we?"
Christine stared at him in disbelief, but quickly hid her flash of anger. "I never told him a thing."
"Fortunately for you, my dear," Erik continued. Christine resisted the urge to shout, 'And try not to let those green eyes take you over...'
"Gala night," Christine mumbled softly.
"What was that?" Erik asked.
"Gala night," she said more clearly, "I must be off to rehearse, Erik.."
"Very well," he replied sadly. "I'll be watching you, though. I hope you do well."
"Yes," Christine answered. "Bye, then."
And then she left. Erik was left alone to think to himself with Ayesha. He was busy petting her when she suddenly glared, annoyed at something behind her master. Erik turned to see what she was looking at, and it seemed to be the bell he had set up to alert him of a visitor. He had shown Christine a way to slip among the sensitive reeds in the underground lake he had planted to set off the alarm, so it couldn't have been her.
To make sure, Erik stood and set his fingers against the bell. Every few seconds, it vibrated under his touch. Yes, it was going off.
"Christine," Erik hissed softly, "I told you not to tell anyone..."
With that, he slipped out of his house to spy on whoever it could be that trespassed. He couldn't quite make out who the figure was, but he was angry that it was anybody, and the silhouette looked masculine.. WAS it Christine's young man?
Erik dipped into the water, wishing he could still hear; if he had been able to, he would have used his normal trick of mocking a siren. Now he wasn't sure if he would lure the person further, or scare them away.
No matter, he thought, I'll just tip the boat and drown them.
As he neared the boat, his breath starting to run out. Erik touched the side of it without catching the shadow's attention. With one swift movement, he pushed up on the boat while coming up for air, making the rickety thing unbalance and tip, throwing it's captain into the murky waters.
While the man came up for air himself, Erik took him by the head and forced him underwater, the submerged man thrashing helplessly for air. Only when the struggles weakened did Erik decide to look upon his doomed victim, and only then did he recognize the familiar outfit of his Persian friend...
Without even thinking, Erik grabbed the man by the collar and thrust him above the surface, dragging him back to shore and throwing him onto solid ground. The daroga, gasping for breath, was lying stunned in a puddle of water while Erik towered above him with a stern look on his face.
"Daroga!" He whispered icily, "What are you doing here!? Lucky I recognized you, or you would now be dead!"
"What-" the daroga gasped, "are you - doing, KILLING visitors... anyway!?"
Erik didn't understand, but noticing the Persian's distinctly shocked and angry face, he said, "There's no use getting mad, daroga. YOU were trespassing, and I must have my privacy."
The Persian coughed and sat upright. "Aren't I allowed to visit my old friend sometimes?"
"Daroga," Erik sighed, "There's a lot that has been going on, and I'd rather you leave me alone."
Instantly, the Persian's expression turned into one of suspicion. "A lot has been going on, eh? Have you stayed out of trouble?"
"What, are you my supervisor?" Erik asked, rolling his eyes. "It depends on what you call trouble. I'd say I've been in tons of trouble for the past few weeks, but if you're talking about the whole 'Phantom' bit, I'm not at it anymore, no thanks to you."
The Persian started. "You're not harassing the managers anymore? I don't believe it! You're not being truthful."
"Daroga," Erik said, rubbing his temples, "Trust me this time. You of all people should believe me."
"Why should I believe you when I saw with my very eyes, that GIRL coming across the lake in a boat of her own?" The Persian asked slyly.
"I didn't tell her to come back here," Erik muttered. "I want her to come back, I always hope she will come back, and I do not make her stay. She comes on her own!"
"And I'm betting she loves you, too?" The daroga asked sarcastically. "I think you're getting a bit too carried away with her-"
"She says she does not love me," Erik interrupted slowly, "But she does. I know this, because otherwise, she would have left long ago."
The Persian sighed and smiled weakly. "I hope she does love you, Erik. But... something's bothering me."
"What is it?" Erik asked, dragging out his words.
"You're staring at me in the most peculiar way," he answered. "Why... you haven't taken your eyes off of me the whole time we've been talking! And yet, you're not looking at my eyes. What is so fascinating about my mouth?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Erik grumbled, shifting his eyes to the cave ceiling.
"Erik?"
No answer.
"Erik?"
The phantom looked back to his friend, staring at him.
"Erik...?"
"What?"
The daroga looked puzzled, then covered his mouth, shouting, "You, man, are a very stupid fellow!" Erik just stared.
"What are you doing?" He asked rudely.
"Coughing," the daroga murmured thoughtfully. Covering his mouth again, the Persian yelled, "Your cat should burn in hell!"
"You might want to drink some tea, daroga," Erik commented.
"Why didn't you tell me, Erik!?" The Persian cried angrily, "Did you think I was stupid!?"
"What are you on about?" Erik wondered, taken aback by the sudden explosion.
"You can't hear a word I'm saying, can you?" The Persian asked triumphantly, glad he had figured out what the phantom was trying to hide from him.
"Nonsense," Erik replied quickly, although a little too uneasily, "How'd you come up with THAT idea?"
"So how'd it happen?" The daroga asked, ignoring Erik's desperate explanations. "What did you do this time?"
"I didn't do anything!" Erik burst, shouting louder than he had intended to. "Will you stop trying to blame everything on me!? It's already hard enough without you attempting to make me guilty! I haven't asked for 20,000 francs for a while now, are you happy? I haven't bothered anybody! Christine has been coming down here to try to help me, all right? And you know what else!? It's been a total waste of time because all I've gotten is worse if anything, and I saw her with a man! Yes, and I saw her kiss him! I've lost my music, I'm losing my love, and with it I'm beginning to lose my mind, is that what you wanted to hear, daroga!? Tell me if you're humored by this, or that somehow I've brought it upon myself, because if you think I've deserved it, please tell me, OH GREAT friend of mine!" That last bit was said sarcastically, and as Erik finished, all they could do was stare at each other.
There was a sad little pause as both men's eyes wandered away from each other.
"I'm sorry for troubling you," the Persian said sincerely although he grumbled.
"No," Erik said shaking his head, "I'M sorry for dragging you into this."
"I should be going now," the Persian sighed faintly.
"You should be staying for tea," Erik objected suddenly.
"Do you mean it?" The Persian asked. "No doubt all I've done is make your matters worse. A worthier man than I would leave right now, and never show his face to you again."
"There is no worthier man than you," Erik muttered impatiently, "And if you were my true friend, you would stay for tea, damn it, I need the stress relief, and if not that, the company!"
The daroga smiled weakly. "Nice to see you again," he murmured slowly as Erik gave him his hand.
"At long last," Erik nodded, "my friend.."
A/N: YES! A long.......er chapter! Hurrah! Hope you guys liked that one, I just love the Persian! I doubt there will be less of him! Teehee! ENJOY! :) :) :)
"Good," Erik sighed. "I'm sure you didn't tell the boy anything that might lead him to stumble upon my little hideout? Because we really wouldn't want him to... mysteriously disappear, now, would we?"
Christine stared at him in disbelief, but quickly hid her flash of anger. "I never told him a thing."
"Fortunately for you, my dear," Erik continued. Christine resisted the urge to shout, 'And try not to let those green eyes take you over...'
"Gala night," Christine mumbled softly.
"What was that?" Erik asked.
"Gala night," she said more clearly, "I must be off to rehearse, Erik.."
"Very well," he replied sadly. "I'll be watching you, though. I hope you do well."
"Yes," Christine answered. "Bye, then."
And then she left. Erik was left alone to think to himself with Ayesha. He was busy petting her when she suddenly glared, annoyed at something behind her master. Erik turned to see what she was looking at, and it seemed to be the bell he had set up to alert him of a visitor. He had shown Christine a way to slip among the sensitive reeds in the underground lake he had planted to set off the alarm, so it couldn't have been her.
To make sure, Erik stood and set his fingers against the bell. Every few seconds, it vibrated under his touch. Yes, it was going off.
"Christine," Erik hissed softly, "I told you not to tell anyone..."
With that, he slipped out of his house to spy on whoever it could be that trespassed. He couldn't quite make out who the figure was, but he was angry that it was anybody, and the silhouette looked masculine.. WAS it Christine's young man?
Erik dipped into the water, wishing he could still hear; if he had been able to, he would have used his normal trick of mocking a siren. Now he wasn't sure if he would lure the person further, or scare them away.
No matter, he thought, I'll just tip the boat and drown them.
As he neared the boat, his breath starting to run out. Erik touched the side of it without catching the shadow's attention. With one swift movement, he pushed up on the boat while coming up for air, making the rickety thing unbalance and tip, throwing it's captain into the murky waters.
While the man came up for air himself, Erik took him by the head and forced him underwater, the submerged man thrashing helplessly for air. Only when the struggles weakened did Erik decide to look upon his doomed victim, and only then did he recognize the familiar outfit of his Persian friend...
Without even thinking, Erik grabbed the man by the collar and thrust him above the surface, dragging him back to shore and throwing him onto solid ground. The daroga, gasping for breath, was lying stunned in a puddle of water while Erik towered above him with a stern look on his face.
"Daroga!" He whispered icily, "What are you doing here!? Lucky I recognized you, or you would now be dead!"
"What-" the daroga gasped, "are you - doing, KILLING visitors... anyway!?"
Erik didn't understand, but noticing the Persian's distinctly shocked and angry face, he said, "There's no use getting mad, daroga. YOU were trespassing, and I must have my privacy."
The Persian coughed and sat upright. "Aren't I allowed to visit my old friend sometimes?"
"Daroga," Erik sighed, "There's a lot that has been going on, and I'd rather you leave me alone."
Instantly, the Persian's expression turned into one of suspicion. "A lot has been going on, eh? Have you stayed out of trouble?"
"What, are you my supervisor?" Erik asked, rolling his eyes. "It depends on what you call trouble. I'd say I've been in tons of trouble for the past few weeks, but if you're talking about the whole 'Phantom' bit, I'm not at it anymore, no thanks to you."
The Persian started. "You're not harassing the managers anymore? I don't believe it! You're not being truthful."
"Daroga," Erik said, rubbing his temples, "Trust me this time. You of all people should believe me."
"Why should I believe you when I saw with my very eyes, that GIRL coming across the lake in a boat of her own?" The Persian asked slyly.
"I didn't tell her to come back here," Erik muttered. "I want her to come back, I always hope she will come back, and I do not make her stay. She comes on her own!"
"And I'm betting she loves you, too?" The daroga asked sarcastically. "I think you're getting a bit too carried away with her-"
"She says she does not love me," Erik interrupted slowly, "But she does. I know this, because otherwise, she would have left long ago."
The Persian sighed and smiled weakly. "I hope she does love you, Erik. But... something's bothering me."
"What is it?" Erik asked, dragging out his words.
"You're staring at me in the most peculiar way," he answered. "Why... you haven't taken your eyes off of me the whole time we've been talking! And yet, you're not looking at my eyes. What is so fascinating about my mouth?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Erik grumbled, shifting his eyes to the cave ceiling.
"Erik?"
No answer.
"Erik?"
The phantom looked back to his friend, staring at him.
"Erik...?"
"What?"
The daroga looked puzzled, then covered his mouth, shouting, "You, man, are a very stupid fellow!" Erik just stared.
"What are you doing?" He asked rudely.
"Coughing," the daroga murmured thoughtfully. Covering his mouth again, the Persian yelled, "Your cat should burn in hell!"
"You might want to drink some tea, daroga," Erik commented.
"Why didn't you tell me, Erik!?" The Persian cried angrily, "Did you think I was stupid!?"
"What are you on about?" Erik wondered, taken aback by the sudden explosion.
"You can't hear a word I'm saying, can you?" The Persian asked triumphantly, glad he had figured out what the phantom was trying to hide from him.
"Nonsense," Erik replied quickly, although a little too uneasily, "How'd you come up with THAT idea?"
"So how'd it happen?" The daroga asked, ignoring Erik's desperate explanations. "What did you do this time?"
"I didn't do anything!" Erik burst, shouting louder than he had intended to. "Will you stop trying to blame everything on me!? It's already hard enough without you attempting to make me guilty! I haven't asked for 20,000 francs for a while now, are you happy? I haven't bothered anybody! Christine has been coming down here to try to help me, all right? And you know what else!? It's been a total waste of time because all I've gotten is worse if anything, and I saw her with a man! Yes, and I saw her kiss him! I've lost my music, I'm losing my love, and with it I'm beginning to lose my mind, is that what you wanted to hear, daroga!? Tell me if you're humored by this, or that somehow I've brought it upon myself, because if you think I've deserved it, please tell me, OH GREAT friend of mine!" That last bit was said sarcastically, and as Erik finished, all they could do was stare at each other.
There was a sad little pause as both men's eyes wandered away from each other.
"I'm sorry for troubling you," the Persian said sincerely although he grumbled.
"No," Erik said shaking his head, "I'M sorry for dragging you into this."
"I should be going now," the Persian sighed faintly.
"You should be staying for tea," Erik objected suddenly.
"Do you mean it?" The Persian asked. "No doubt all I've done is make your matters worse. A worthier man than I would leave right now, and never show his face to you again."
"There is no worthier man than you," Erik muttered impatiently, "And if you were my true friend, you would stay for tea, damn it, I need the stress relief, and if not that, the company!"
The daroga smiled weakly. "Nice to see you again," he murmured slowly as Erik gave him his hand.
"At long last," Erik nodded, "my friend.."
A/N: YES! A long.......er chapter! Hurrah! Hope you guys liked that one, I just love the Persian! I doubt there will be less of him! Teehee! ENJOY! :) :) :)