Ode to the Bottle (Cut Time)
A Little Visit to Some…Friends.
Raoul steadied himself against the wall of the opera, breathing deeply and going over his annual mental mantra; preparation, he had learned, was necessary before seeing his one-time finacee with... him. He had started visiting Christine only a fortnight after it had all happened, not being able to bear leaving her all alone with her 'Maestro'… His wife Vanessa resented his frequent absences, but he didn't care. Arranged marriage had been the only option left to him once his love was stolen away from him and his brother insisted he needed to settle. Not that he didn't explore every other possible avenue of escape open to him first.
But he needn't think about that, he certainly didn't want to; soon he'd see Christine again. Even if it did have to be in the company of that infernal dark 'angel' of hers, whose fault it all was to begin with. If it weren't for him, Christine would be his wife and everything would have turned out the way it was supposed to.
Raoul passed through the Rue Scribe gates, Nadir holding the lantern high to light his way down the stairs. Nadir: whenever he wanted to see Christine he was forced to call on Nadir, not just to gain access but to make an appointment.
Frankly, he wasn't at all surprised that Erik didn't trust him with a key. It was the necessity of waiting for their leisure that he found offensive. Not that it was really justified vexation, not at all considering he was the one trying to monopolize their time, but it had always seemed to him that Erik and Christine could never be like a normal couple. It just wasn't plausible to him, in some small corner of his mind he still hadn't accepted that Christine choose to stay with Erik. They had, however, shattered his views by their astoundingly everyday, affectionatebehaviour.
Nadir was always granted entrance first, then, several moments later, he followed. The Persian had explained that Erik no longer wore a mask and that he put one on solely for Raoul's comfort. Consequently, it took a moment to find and don even with Christine helping. Raoul had suspected this and when he had asked why he simply didn't put it on earlier Nadir hadn't hesitated,
"He doesn't wish to wear it for a second longer than he must. You see viscount, it is dreadfully uncomfortably and now that Christine has proven she loves his face just so much as any other part of him he, understandably, hates the mask with a passion."
Raoul frowned miserably to himself as he descended into the dark cellars, muttering under his breath.
"Blearydemon, walking about with that atrocity on display." He kicked the slick, damp stone of the ground beneath his feet, wondering if he might be able to shove Nadir into thefrigid underground waters of the lakebefore the older man noticed him gaining.
The Persianturned sharply and motioned for silence, they were skirting the edge of that very black pool even as he spoke, where every sound was multiplied a million fold.
"The cellar keepers are not so far off Monsieur le Viscount. Watch your noise." His whispered harshly, hisexpression a mask of calmthatslipped slightly as he glared at his charge.
Raoul sniggered silently at the irritation in Nadir's voice, something that- all things considered- was notparticularly wise. Raoul had to admit being the best friend of the Phantom of the Opera had its perks. Nadir had nothing to fear from him anyway, he knew better than to challenge Erik; he was not a force to betrifeled with.
Speaking of which… Erik waited for them with the boat, his dwarfingheight never ceased to amaze Raoul: the man was enormous and looming, like the statues of the saints that inhabited the small acloves at Notre Dame. The viscount tried to shake thememories he had ofthe watchful, hounded feeling those stone edifaces used to give him.He allowed himself to be shepherded into the small craft and held the sides as it rocked under Nadir's weight. He didn't feel Erik get in, he never did….
The boat shot across the glassy lake at a rapid pace, Erik poling it to its niche when they reached the opposite shore. Nadir held Raoul back with an arm as Erik opened the door, he couldn't see why this was necessary, even if he managed to master the complicated- not to mention left-handed-mechanism he could never get here by himself.
The heavy door sung open and Erik and Nadir stepped inside, Raoul waited a few moments and entered after them. Nadir already stood by the fireplace with a glass of whiskey watching the flames with curious intensity, Erik leaned against a desk on the other side of the room, as detached from the rest of the occupants as he could get without leaving, his coat and hat removed.
And there on the over stuffed black sofa sat Christine, laughing gaily at something Erik had said on his way in and as beautiful as any cherub that dwelt in heaven. Her chocolate hair spilling in cascading ringlets over her slim, feminine shoulders and her pasty white-pink dress and blood-red sash hugging her womanly figure. She smiled at Erik's sombre attitude her eyes sparkling in mirth and affection.
Hearing Raoul's footsteps, she turned on him, rewarding him with another warm welcoming smile. Raoul inclined his head, fiddling with his hat and gloves as she rose and made her way over to him with open arms.
"It is good to see you Raoul!" she exclaimed in genuine pleasure embracing him, "You shouldn't stay away so long, we miss you!"
Erik snorted.
The heavenly creature turned on him the sparkle returning to her eye. She feigned a look of disapproval, "Now don't be that way to our dear friend!" She smiled at Raoul again as she linked her arm through her husbands. Raoul forced a pleasant look onto his face at the picture of happiness they presented.
It killed him to see again and again that Christine didn't love him, not even a little bit, she showed no remorse whatsoever at their parting or at their many reunions. His eye twitched as he looked at them, his right eye. Raoul closed his offending orifices and forced himself to calm down, opening them again he saw Christine poke her husband playfully then turn to him and motion for him to come to dinner. He nodded with a smile and set his things down; determined to enjoy her company for the short time it was granted to him.
Several hours later Raoul and Nadir sat on opposite ends of the sofa, Christine and Erik sharing the large chair. Christine seemed to have become slightly over-intoxicated and was showing it, Nadir was trying desperately to have a serious conversation with Erik, whowas constantly having to pickChristine up as she flopped over him and otherwise prevent her from embarrassing herself further while attempting to listen.
Raoul submitted a comment now and then but the topic was usually well beyond him. Otherwise he just watched Christine, occasionally losing balance and falling unceremoniously across Erik's lap, he picked her up and put her right again wordlessly, still trying to be polite to Nadir, but obviously quite hard pressed to keep from laughing.
Christine began singing to herself, Nadir's talk suffering even more for anyone's attention. Raoul had no idea what she was singing but it made him wish he could join in, he'd never been able to sing, besides he was completely tone deaf.
"Are you quite certain that everyone wishes to hear the complete legends of Tir Na Nog my dear?" Erik asked pointedly, turning her to face him with long, slender fingers sweeping along the tender curve of her chin.
"I am quite sure that they do! My dear yourself!" She sang back playfully, smiling at him and putting her own hand over his, wrapping her little fingers around his.
Erik smiled in spite of himself, "Now you have gone and injured my ego, such a serpent's tongue!"
She laughed at him, "Yes, and you just the poor innocent victim of my horrible wit."
"Yes," he replied childishly crossing his arms.
She snickered and finally could contain herself no longer and burst out laughing throwing her arms around his neck. "Fine! You win! I couldn't keep a straight face that long if my life depended on it!" she yawned suddenly and settled against him.
He looked mildly embarrassed, laying an arm about her shoulder, "I think it is time you left Messieurs. My dear wife has decreed this officially, bed-time." Erik said lifting her up to carry into their room. He returned a moment later and saw them out.
Nadir took Raoul to the upper section of the opera and left him to his own devices.