A/N: This was written for the PotO Queer Week 2022 event on Tumblr, hosted by textsfromthefifthbasement, and is a prequel to my E/C/R fic Home. I hope you enjoy!

C/W: Sexual content

"Okay, I'm going to take off," Christine said as she collected her purse from the kitchen counter, her gaze darting uncertainly between Raoul and Erik, as though she wasn't sure leaving them alone together was a good idea.

To be fair, Raoul wasn't exactly thrilled to be spending the evening alone with Erik, either - it would be the first time the two of them would be home without Christine for any period of time since Erik had moved in with them several months before - but he wanted Christine to be able to have a fun night out with her friend. However, he would be feeling a lot better about Christine's plans with Meg if she hadn't specifically asked that he and Erik use the time that she was gone to try to get to know each other a little better.

Spending one on one time with Erik was the last thing Raoul wanted to do - and no doubt the other man felt the same - but when it came to Christine, he couldn't refuse her anything. If he could, Erik wouldn't be living with them in the first place, Raoul supposed.

"I won't be gone too long," Christine continued nervously. "It's just dinner, and a drink or two afterward."

Wanting to reassure her, Raoul made the effort to smile. "Don't worry about us, Christine. I ordered a pizza, and Erik and I are going to hang out - just like you wanted."

"Okay," she answered, relief showing in the smile she gave him, before walking over to give him a kiss on her way out of the room. Averting his eyes as she did the same with Erik, Raoul waited until he heard the door to the garage close behind Christine to speak.

"Well, the pizza should be here in twenty minutes or so. Should we have a drink in the living room?"

As usual, Erik responded to his attempt to be cordial with barely concealed hostility. "We don't have to actually do this, Vicomte. Christine doesn't have to know."

Bristling at what he knew was an intentional attempt by Erik to annoy him by using his family's old courtesy title, Raoul forced himself to keep his expression blank. "You can do whatever you want. But I told Christine I'd spend time with you tonight, and I keep my word to her."

Now Erik's golden eyes narrowed in annoyance, and Raoul had to fight to keep his face blank, not wanting Erik to see the satisfaction he got from getting to him for a change. "Fine," the other man spit out, before pouring himself a glass of wine and stalking to the other room.

Rolling his eyes, Raoul retrieved a beer from the refrigerator, and followed Erik, already counting down the minutes until Christine would arrive home and rescue him from this awkward situation.

xxxxx

After they finished eating - or rather Raoul finished eating and Erik finished slightly picking at a piece of pizza in his usual style - Raoul sighed and leaned against the back of the couch, taking a long sip of his beer. They had stared at the TV while they ate, both feigning absorption in the movie that was playing, but he couldn't put this off any longer if he wanted to keep his word to Christine this evening. Unfortunately, he had absolutely no idea what he and Erik could talk about.

"So, um, how are you liking living here, Erik?" Raoul ventured, noticing how half-hearted his question sounded.

Erik rolled his eyes behind his mask, reaching for his wine glass and taking a drink himself before answering. "It's fine, I suppose. Some things are certainly enjoyable, anyway."

Noticing Erik's smirk underneath his mask, Raoul clenched his fists momentarily, not missing the jab that Erik was trying to make. Before he could say anything else, though, Erik continued speaking.

"We really don't have to do this, Raoul. I can't think of a single thing we could actually have a pleasant discussion about."

Did the other man try to be this irritating, or did it just come naturally to him? "Again, I told Christine that I would try to get to know you better, and like I said before, I always keep my word to her. God knows you wouldn't be living here if I didn't."

Suddenly Erik went deadly still, and Raoul felt a moment's nervousness, wondering if perhaps he'd pushed Erik too far, but the other man still seemed to be in control of himself before he responded. "Ah, but if I wasn't here, would Christine be?"

Not wanting to acknowledge that question, Raoul found himself bristling as well. "I guess we'll never know, because my first priority is Christine. I'll do anything to make her happy - even put up with you."

Erik narrowed those strange yellow eyes of his before setting his wine glass on the coffee table in front of them. "Very well, if you want to talk, Vicomte, let's talk.

"Tell me, do you ever wonder what goes on during the nights Christine spends in my room?"

Choking on the unfortunately-timed sip of beer that he had just taken, Raoul found himself coughing as he sat the bottle down.

"I certainly do not!" he answered forcefully once he could speak again. "Believe me, I try not to think of that situation at all."

"Really?" Erik replied, as Raoul noticed the other man's body language change yet again. Suddenly, he seemed utterly focused on Raoul, yellow eyes staring intently, while his voice seemed almost…seductive.

"You've never wondered what I do to her, what she does to me? How it looks to see someone else fucking her?"

Mouth dry, Raoul shook his head, managing a rather feeble-sounding denial that was in fact true. He hadn't wondered such a thing until now - the fact that it was currently all he could think about wasn't really relevant to the question.

"What about you?" he asked in a rather desperate attempt to turn the tables on Erik. "Do you ever wonder what she and I do?"

As usual, Erik refused to be rattled, staring at Raoul intensely while answering, "All the time."

Feeling his mouth drop open in shock at Erik's easy admission, Raoul could only stare at him in silence, at a complete loss for words, but Erik wasn't done speaking anyway, it seemed.

"I don't just think about what you two might be doing, though. I think about what it would be like if I joined you, the things we could do to Christine - and to each other."

Raoul had to give Erik credit, he supposed. He never would have thought the other man could shock him like this. "You…you're just messing with me, aren't you? If I told you to join us, there's no way you'd actually go through with it."

"Why don't you try it and see?"

Raoul was certain he'd never been so confused, but he was now understanding Christine's feelings for Erik much better. When Erik turned this seductive intensity in his direction, he had to admit it was overwhelming. He had an unbelievable desire to simply give in to the other man's magnetism, to lose himself in Erik - something he would never have believed possible just a short while ago.

"What…would you do?" Raoul asked, hastily adding, "If this ever actually happened," but Erik's lips curved into a small smile at his words, as though he sensed victory.

"I want to be between you, beneath you, above you - both of you. I want to be inside Christine, and inside you, Raoul. And I want you inside me."

"Oh my god," Raoul whispered, unable to deny his physical reaction to Erik's words any longer. It seemed his body very much wanted something his mind would have deemed absolutely unthinkable just a short time ago.

Obviously sensing that he had Raoul in his thrall, Erik leaned toward him slowly. "But, wouldn't you rather I show you?"

With their lips just inches apart, Raoul slowly licked his, giving in to the unavoidable desire coursing through him. "Yes," he whispered, and that was all the encouragement Erik needed.

When Erik's thin lips pressed to his own, Raoul felt a jolt through his entire body, and he involuntarily gasped - something Erik took full advantage of, sliding his tongue sensuously into Raoul's mouth.

Before he fully knew what was happening, Raoul found himself lost in their kiss and wanting more. Leaning up, he pushed the taller man down to lay on his back on the sofa, instinctively taking control as he moved on top of Erik - who seemed more than happy with their position, judging by his eager reaction.

Lost in the moment, Raoul felt close to losing control as he ground his hips against Erik's, not sure how much longer he could take this, when a voice from the direction of the doorway brought him partially back to reality.

"I'm home! Did you guys have a good ti-"

Raoul's head snapped up as he heard Christine's voice trail off as she entered the room, staring at the two of them in what looked like shock. Raoul opened his mouth to answer her, but no words came to his lips. What could he possibly say to explain this?

And to make matters worse, as he and Christine stared at each other, Raoul was still completely aware of the body of his nemesis beneath him - although there was no way that he couldn't be, not with the fact that Erik was continuing to push his hips against Raoul's as they lay there.

"I'm sorry," he began feebly, still having no idea what to say, but Christine cut him off before he could continue.

Shaking her head slightly, she crossed the room to sit in an armchair, wide blue eyes never leaving the pair of them. "You don't have to apologize, Raoul," she said, pausing for a second as her gaze continued to take them in.

"And, you don't have to stop."

A/N: Thank you for reading! As always, comments are very welcome :)