Review replies
Mrs malfoy: One cloned Gerry coming your way for the bath!
Masked Grace: Mel says hi
Pertie: This story is definitely going where you are thinking, I actually have 5 whole chapters in order ready to be posted!
Kiss of Darkness: My fav is Crossing Blades with a Phantom, but this one comes a very close second
Angel of mystery: (waves a few times then hears point of no return playing) I hope you remember to eat and sleep every now and again my dear
Naomipoe: One, thankyou for Erik, though I didn't realise glomping would leave so many bruises, and two, the song is made up of several poems and songs I've come up with for no reason, so the tune is extremely weird and not based on any of ALW r the Phantom's songs
Cap'n Meg: Have fun on your holiday, I'll miss you!
Aurora: Yeah yeah, kinky stuff will come eventually, welcome to the order!
IflyNAVY: Rating willgo up when its ready to go up
Jen Lennon: Patience is a virtue
BiP: (evil laugh) for now...
Blaze: I love it when he gets all uptight, it makes him that much easier to annoy
Adriana swore at the stage above her. Every time the orchestra started the lively jig for the musical rendition of "A Comedy of Errors" somebody would stuff up. Admittedly, she normally hated imperfection, but if just this once they would play through the song, she would ignore the inconsistencies and be happy to listen. Playing through usually helped anyway. Besides, they might be trying to play, but she was trying to dance!
"They're up there with enough sunlight to blind an army, but it takes the girl five floors down to see the light." She muttered, sliding into a splits stretch to listen as they started again. It was the violinist, she was sure. That creaky rasp couldn't come from anywhere else. As the music started, then stopped, she started to swear again.
"Now those aren't words any properly bred young lady should know the meaning of," a cool voice remarked from behind her. Adriana started, then added a couple more curses, before twisting to see Erik leaning his long frame against the doorway, arms folded across his chest, and mask gleaming hollowly in the candlelight. "They can't even get through two bars without someone jolting the music." She complained, "I only wanted one dance, but they wont even play it through."
"Is that why you're in that ridiculous position?" Erik asked calmly, Adriana scowled.
"No I'm practising moves for when I go to work the streets tonight." She snapped, curling her legs under her, and then rising.
"Ah," unruffled, Erik moved to his organ, raising the lid he began to play a soft, flowing tune. Behind him, he heard Adriana sigh, then felt the thump as she bounced up and began to spin in time to the music…
After a while, Erik stopped playing, "There's been something I've been meaning to ask you," he said, twisting his neck to hear it crack. Adriana shuddered, "That freaks me out," she said, shaking off an attack of the heebies. Deliberately, Erik reached his hands behind his back and cracked his spine, she shrugged, "That's not so bad," Erik looked disappointed, Adriana smirked and dipped herself backwards, until her head was equal with her hips, she flexed her shoulders and her back gave a sharp crack. "What did you want to ask me?"
Erik fingered his mask for a moment, "My managers have decided to cast a new soprano now that Carlotta's left," Adriana grinned and bowed, he ignored her obvious self praise, "A gala is being held tomorrow night in order to winnow out the best of the five I've allowed them,"
"I thought there was six?" Adriana interrupted, folding her arms, Erik shrugged, "I decided that Mademoiselle Ciano was not quite what was desired," he smirked, "She kicked up quite a fuss when I ordered my managers to tell her that her presence was no longer required."
"I bet she did!" Adriana grinned, "She had terrible fashion sense anyway."
"I beg your pardon?" Erik raised an eyebrow, Adriana rolled her eyes, pulling on a long jacket over her tunic, "Pink and red? That's tantamount to the cardinal sin in the fashion world."
"I'll admit to being utterly bewildered by that," Erik confessed, Adriana patted him encouragingly on the shoulder, "That's because your not a girl, darling heart" she encouraged, "Just leave the hard stuff up to the professionals."
Erik groaned and buried his face in his arms, "Is your sole purpose in life to torment me?" he demanded tragically, Adriana pursed her lips thoughtfully in reply, "No…" she answered, "But now that you mention it, it would be an interesting career to consider." Erik raised his head to glare at her disbelievingly she grinned at him pertly in reply, "You were telling me about the sopranos," she reminded him Erik shook his head. "Oh yes, would you care to come and view the performance tonight?"
"I come every night anyway," she replied, puzzled,
"I meant in Box Five," Erik explained, Adriana's jaw dropped, "You mean as in with you?" she whispered in shock, he nodded patronisingly, as if explaining himself to a very small child, "Hell yes!" she danced a happy jig of glee and flung her arms around his neck, "Thankyou!"
Erik coughed uncomfortably and disentangled himself from her arms, "I have to admit my intentions are not completely without motive," he said apologetically, standing.
"Oh?" Adriana asked with a smirk, he looked down at her until she sighed, "I do wish you would grow up," he murmured, "I will need you to deliver a message to my managers afterwards, outlining which soprano is preferred, and make it clear to them in no uncertain terms that my orders will be obeyed." Adriana straightened and snapped a salute, "You may count on me, Mon Captain!" she declared.
"Why does that do nothing to assuage my fears?" Erik muttered, Adriana laughed, "Now onto a more serious matter," she frowned, "What's that?" Erik asked, she spread her hands helplessly, "I simply don't have a thing to wear!"
Erik growled something deep in his throat, "You have an entire costume room! Half of which is spread all over your bedroom floor!"
"Those are only half done," she argued,
"Well why haven't you finished them?" Erik groaned, Adriana sighed, "I miss my sewing machine," she mourned, Erik started, "You miss your what?"
"My sewing machine," she explained, "From home, back when I didn't have to do every tiny stitch by hand."
"Well what do you expect me to do about it?" Erik asked in exasperation, she shrugged, "Noting really, I just wanted to complain," she grinned at him, "Um, actually," she frowned and made a few half hearted gestures with her fingers, working something out in her head, "I don't suppose you could give me a ride across the lake?"
Erik sighed, "Will it keep you out of my hair for a few hours?" he pleaded, she chuckled, "That's kind of the point Erik,"
"Very well, get into the gondola," he stood and swirled on his cape, mentally puzzling over the enigma she still presented.
xXx
Arriving at her costume room, Adriana slipped inside, motioning for Erik to follow her, hearing the rapidly approaching footsteps of a stagehand, he obeyed, shutting the door behind him. Adriana was head down in a trunk of assorted costumes, obviously searching for something, she poked her head up for a moment and looked at Erik, "Can you shift the dummy onto the table, please?" she indicated with a wave of her hand, digging her hands through the deep chest in search of an elusive piece of fabric.
"Since when did I become your personal slave?" Erik grunted under the weight of the bare dummy as he manoeuvred it onto the table. "Since you started doing everything I told you," came Adriana's muffled reply, "Aha!" she emerged with a yanking and groaning of red silk, which Erik recognized as the Firefly dress, rather crumpled from its sojourn in the wooden trunk, Adriana held it up with satisfaction, "Perfect!" she exclaimed, shaking it out. Erik regarded her with an eyebrow raised, "You cannot seriously be considering wearing that?" he mocked.
"Hrmph! Have a little faith Erik," she replied, the fiery red silk fell to the floor in several long sweeps, caught over with wide reams of yellow and orange in sweet and pretty overskirts. Adriana frowned at these for a minute, then with firm fingers, she took hold of the orange and yellow gauze and ripped it away from the dress. Erik winced as the fabric tore, "What on earth are you doing?" he groaned, "You'll see"
Erik shook his head in dismay and headed for the door, "Where are you off to?" Adriana asked, "Nowhere," he shrugged, "Then stay and talk with me," She urged, Erik hesitated, then accepted her offer, sitting down on an upturned basket.
"Might I ask what it is you plan to make of this dress?" he inquired, stretching his legs out.
"Of course you can," Adriana replied, tearing away the last of the gauze and ripping away two of the bright red overskirts. Erik waited a moment, then sighed, "What is it you plan to make of this dress?" he asked heavily, Adriana giggled, "I just may not tell you," she grinned, Erik snorted and settled back on his seat, "Then what is your opinion on Minionet as lead soprano?" he asked.
They debated the various points of each soprano as Adriana struggled with the dress, untacking two long seams, she inserted the red overskirts into the main slip of the dress to make it large enough to fit, giving it just the slightest hint of a train. The straps she dropped until they fell in sharp points off her shoulders, and twisted heavy gold braid around the neckline. Erik found himself relaxing as they chatted about everything from politics to the Louvre in the several short hours before the gala. However their time was cut short when an overly curious stagehand tried the door to investigate the laughter he heard inside.