Disclaimer: Despite my fervent prayers, I still fail to own Phantom. Woe is me.
XXX
The sun breached the horizon in a splash of light, watercolor illusions flowing across the sky in an ethereal display. However, this gaudy show of nature was not viewed by two of her children... deep, below ground.
Christine woke, as she did every morning, to the sensation of breath on her neck, and she smiled faintly, glancing down at the strong features of the man lying near her. She took him in with a finely tuned eye, witnessing each rise and fall of his chest as he breathed slowly, still lost in sleep.
He lay on his side, head turned so only that side of his face free from the myriad of hate was visible, and Christine held back the urge to reach out and caress his skin, to tuck an errant lock of hair behind his ear, instead choosing to look more upon his unrivaled beauty.
One long, well-muscled arm lay across her middle, fingers curled in the bedcovers to her other side, and his back, bare in the darkness of morning, reflected the slight bit of light that came from the oil lamp at the bedside.
Long ago she became accustomed to morning coming without a single ray of fresh sunlight to wake her, and sometimes she wondered if the days were really as she imagined them. Did the sun still rise, now that she couldn't see it? Was the moon still full in the sky, did the stars still twinkle at passers-by?
She was startled from her musings by the sound of a blissful sigh near her ear, and she smiled as her head turned to receive the gentle kiss of morning against her lips, Erik's mismatched eyes shining as he regarded her with love and devotion.
"What are you thinking, my dear?" His deep, musical voice resonated, thick with recently shaken sleep, and Christine could only smile as she finally gave into the urge to fix his sleep-mussed hair.
"Of nothing consequential, Angel." She replied with warmth and a slightly jovial tone. "What makes you think any thoughts of real substance cross my mind at such early hours?"
He laughed lightly, pulling her body closer to his and placing a gentle kiss to her brow. "I don't know what I was thinking, Christine. Please forgive my foolishness." He stated primly in a regal manner, which sent her into fits of giggles.
"I suppose I can forgive this one foresight, but I shan't like to see it happen again."
His reply was a solemn nod, before he rolled gracefully from the bed, resplendent in his nakedness as he stretched rather like a cat.
"Come, my dear, and I will fix us some breakfast. We have slept over- much."
Christine resisted the urge to comment on exactly how he knew what time it was, let alone that they had over-slept, and instead nodded and pried herself from the warmth of the bed sheets, standing and carefully placing on a light dress.
Long ago she had abandoned the confines of society... after all... once safely inside the underground home, there was no need to pay attention to those rules that social interaction forced upon a person. A corset was an evil she no longer endured, and rarely did she venture out of a dressing gown unless there were rehearsals of the opera to attend. This forced Christine to lead a bit of a double life, but her mind didn't fathom the thought of anything different. Until today, that is.
Walking from the bedroom, she was pleased to see that her husband had built up a fire and the pleasant scent of fresh tea and something cooking wafted from the kitchen. As if in a trance, Christine followed the smell of food and drink, and stepped through the archway into the room where the smell emanated from.
Standing in front of the samovar was Erik, as he poured out two steaming cups of tea and set them gently on their platters. He turned to look at his wife when she entered, and looked her over with dancing eyes.
"Ahh, I see you have found it befitting to dress today in clothing one could venture out in. Tell me, my dear... are you planning to go above ground?" He asked playfully, carrying the tea to the table and setting them to the upper left of the plates, as was the placement in regal table settings. Christine only smiled slyly.
"Well, I did think that perhaps I might try to persuade you in walking with me this afternoon in the park nearby... it has been so long since we were out..."
He mentally berated himself for keeping Christine, who was much like a delicate flower in need of the elements, cooped up indoors and away from natural light. How could he forget so easily that Christine was not one born of the dark? He nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course my dear. When should you like to go out?" He forced down his ever-present fear at walking in the day, when he could be witnessed by any who cared to look in his direction, and instead attempted to smile.
"Perhaps after breakfast?" She asked as she pulled the muffins, which Erik had set to cooking from the oven, and set them on the table before her. His reply was a curt nod.
"After breakfast it is, then. You have rehearsals this afternoon, as well." She only nodded, lost in the task of prying the steaming muffins from the tray, a towel about her hands to protect them from the scalding heat.
Soon they were able to eat, and the meal was taken in a companionable silence that Ayesha broke when a pitiful meow was heard from the doorway. Erik looked up with a smile at his beloved cat, which frolicked to his side eagerly, rubbing ecstatically against his leg and purring. Erik could only laugh as he scooped her into his arms, rubbing her ears and scratching her back gently. Christine could only smile. It wasn't that long ago that Ayesha hated her, scratching and hissing if she were to stand too close to Erik. Now, however, she seemed to be accepted in their life, and Ayesha even sometimes went to Christine for affection if Erik wasn't nearby, or if he was too caught up in his composing to notice the plaintive mews of the aging cat.
Standing to clear the table, Christine moved to begin the dishes, and Erik gently set Ayesha back to the ground, clearing away some of the other plates and dishes in silent help, which did not go unappreciated. Leaning over, Christine placed a single kiss to his cheek, and he smiled, than moved from the room to dress for leaving the house.
--
The walk through the park was calm and refreshing, and Erik had to admit it was almost enjoyable to be outside and feel the wind, even if he did have to don his mask in order to venture out. He longed to feel the air on his bare face, but didn't dare remove it, not in front of Christine and not by himself either. It was too easy to be witnessed, and the thought of that revolted expression on anyone's face again was enough to convince him that it was best to leave it on.
Christine tightened her grip on his arm suddenly and startled him from his thoughts. He looked to where she was pointing and smiled as he watched the mother rabbit leading her young from the den to greet the warm summer morning. Christine leaned against him and sighed happily at the pretty picture before her, and Erik gently rested his head atop hers.
"Isn't it lovely, Erik? We should come here more often... it can't be good for you to be in that dank air so much..." Christine insisted, and Erik sighed. Always his health...
"Christine I assure you, when you've grown in the darkness... light is only a detriment."
She turned to look up at his impassive face and gave a long sigh, then pulled away and continued to walk. The rabbits, frightened by the sudden movement, retreated back into their home, and Erik moved quickly to catch up.
"Christine, whatever is the matter?" He asked, genuinely confused. She whirled around, fixing him with a world-weary look.
When did she become so jaded?
"You aren't happy with this, Erik... the simple pleasure I receive from walking through nature, from smelling the fresh air and feeling the warmth of the sun beating down on me don't make you feel anything but discomfort...instead the darkness of the house, the musty smell of the labyrinth halls and the cold shock of the water on the lake bring you the joys my simple pleasures cannot... how is it that you can love me, but not love what I hold dear?"
He was taken aback, to say the least, by her words. Erik remained silent for a few moments, before speaking slowly.
"I hold all that is beautiful dear to my heart, Christine. The sun, the sky... nature is resplendent in its beauty and I would be a fool not to treasure it. A butterfly and a diamond hold the same simple beauty in my eyes, you know that. But Christine, how can I enjoy walking in a world which has made me its bane? How can I take joy from something that has only ever pained me? What you ask of me-to forget all that this light has burdened me with-I fear is too much even for me. You know I try, really I do..."
She sighed, eyes softening as she moved to stand within the loving circle of his arms. "I know, Erik... and I'm sorry... sometimes it just seems so overwhelming... and I have to wonder how we fit at all." At his alarmed expression, Christine quickly added, "Oh, but Erik I understand now. I'm sorry, please forgive me...I seem to be dreadfully impertinent at times..."
Cupping her cheek gently, he moved down to brush his lips against hers. "All is forgiven, my dear... and yet there was nothing to forgive."