Disclaimer: I do not own PhofOp.
Music is a Turn On
"So how would you like to end today's lesson?" Erik inquired after Christine let her voice drift to a stop as the last song ended.
"You're letting me pick?"
Erik shrugged, hands now resting on top of the piano. "I'm sure you have particular songs that you enjoy, and there is no harm in allowing you to choose one every once in a while."
Christine chewed on her bottom lip while thinking of what possible songs. A few immediately came to mind but she mentally brushed them aside. If she could maybe get Erik to sing with her…
"Can I chose a duet? You sing the other pieces?" she asked nervously, the feeling increasing when Erik's eyes rolled over to her.
"I will not say no, unless I am unfamiliar with the piece." He replied simply.
Excited, Christine instantly knew what she wanted.
"Point of No Return!" she answered, watching as Erik paused from his adjusting of his cuff, and she just knew that he was raising an eyebrow under the mask.
"From Don Juan Triumphant? Well, I will admit that I am familiar with the song." Erik asserted good-humoredly. "May I ask why?"
Finding her hands wriggling, Christine clasped them to hold them still. "It's one of my favorites. I love all the songs and music, of course, but when I first saw the opera that one stood out because of how different it was from the others and the way the lyrics were sung with the music…" she gushed, getting more and more excited as she spoke. Christine trailed off when Erik began to chuckle, suddenly embarrassed.
He must have noticed because he waved his hand placating towards her. "Forgive me, I love it when people enjoy my work so passionately it's just…" Erik chuckled again. "You were, what? Perhaps eight or nine? Certainly, at most ten. And your favorite song is from the seduction scene."
Heat flooded into her cheeks, face, even neck.
"I—I didn't know what the scene was about then!" she protested.
Erik let out another set of snickers, hands pressed on top of the piano and shoulders vibrating from trying them to hold back. Christine glared at him. Though, she thought as she watched him trying to gain his composure, this is the most I've heard him laugh, even if it's at my expense, I'm happy that it was me that caused it.
When Erik finally gained his composure he drew out a long breath, lips still containing a smirk.
"Forgive me, Miss Daae. Shall we begin?"
Christine nodded, accepting his apology. Pulling out her phone she began messing with it.
"I have all the music from the opera on my phone so we can use that."
"Then I suppose I am to be acting the part instead of just singing?" Again she could hear the eyebrow raise in amusement.
"Oh yes you will." she confirmed, finding the song with just the music, and turned the volume up to full blast.
Christine glanced over at him and when he nodded his readiness, she hit play.
Erik's eyes suddenly zeroed in on her, his presence changing to that of another, becoming that of Don Juan persona. Golden orbs glowing under the stage lights, giving them an eerie presence. Her breath cut off in her lungs. Then he began to sing.
You have come here
In pursuit of your deepest urge.
Christine swallowed harshly, body feeling light and hot, and suddenly thinking that maybe she should have picked a different song…
Raoul let out a sigh as he turned off his bike, taking off his helmet and running his hand through his hair to get it unflatten. He took off his riding gear, storing it all in the side bags his bike had before getting off a little reluctantly. Looking up, he stared at the large theatre looming over him before letting out another sigh as he made his way to the front entrance.
Christine has been really eager the past month, ever since that first night when she had come back from her first practice. The one where she had apparently first met this so call tutor. Since then, she's been going on and on about how wonderful the guy was and how she had wanted Raoul to meet him so that, if he liked him too, they could go after him as making him their third partner.
From what Christine has said, he is very smart and kind, plus has a brilliant body. She was very specific about his hands and shoulders countless times, Raoul considered himself was more of a leg person.
Apparently he is also the guy who had written Christine's favorite opera, but even that's hard to fact check on since the famous O.G. is a pen name that no one knows the owner to it. However, he haven't seen Christine this happy and excited in a while, and this would count as the first time Christine has seriously considered adding someone to their partnership so he's willing to give the guy the benefit of doubt.
But really? A guy in a mask who seems to be living in the theatre? Yeah, like that's not totally suspicious, though the part about living in the theatre was probably only good timing on the man's part. Still, Raoul didn't understand what Christine could see in this guy so fast.
The entrance to the theatre came up sooner than he had wanted but he knew Christine's practice was about to be over so he made himself open the door and walk inside.
The lobby was huge with waiting tables, ticket booths and concession stands, but Raoul walked passed all this and went to the entrance to the auditorium. Taking a deep breath and letting it out he opened the door and walked inside.
Instantly he was brought to a halt upon hearing a male voice that seemed to call out to him not unlike a siren.
—thought and let the dream descend
What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us
Oh…now I see it, Raoul thought dazedly.
The voice was coming from a man who was dressed like something from the Victorian era, not that it didn't look good on him. Quite the opposite in fact, everything fit his form very perfectly. He was also wearing a white mask that covered the majority of his face.
Ah, so this is Erik, Raoul thought as he listened to him continue to sing, not realizing that his feet were moving him towards the front of the seats.
Past the point of no return
The final threshold?
What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn
Beyond the point of no return?
He only realized he had been moving when he had almost tripped against the railing. Stopping in front, Raoul watched as Erik moved about the stage as he sung, everything about him just oozing sexual appeal.
Yes… he thought, eyes traveling down the length of Erik's form. This could work very well.
You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry
To that moment where speech disappears into silence
Silence
I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why
In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent
And now I am here with you, no second thoughts
I've decided, decided
Christine, of course, sang beautifully as always. However, now as she was singing her voice sounded more alive and passionate then what Raoul have heard before. She was always great, now she was a marvel. The two were in sync with each other as they did their seductive dance on stage, each movement responding to the other in the slightest but intense gestures.
Past the point of no return
No going back now
Our passion play has now at last begun
Past all thought of right or wrong
One final question
How long should we two wait before we're one?
When will the blood begin to race
The sleeping bud bursts into bloom?
When will the flames at last consume us?
The two singers had been walking towards each other from opposite ends of the stage and as they began to sing together, their voices merge in a beautiful harmony that left Raoul paralyzed and breathless.
Past the point of no return
The final threshold
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn
We've passed the point of no return
The two let their voices trail off, stopping at the exact same time. They stood together in each other's arms, catching their breath. Eventually, Erik unraveled his arms from Christine, spinning her once slowly as he did, making her smile brightly at him. One of their hands still clasped together at the fingertips.
"It appears, Miss Daae, that we have a guest." Erik remarked unexpectedly, in a pleasantly soft but projected voice. Suddenly glowing golden eyes were staring straight at Raoul and he had to hold back a gasp.
The man sure has good eyesight to be able to see exactly where he was at in the darkness of the auditorium.
"Raoul!" Christine called out, obviously delightfully surprised, not being able to see him though looking in his general direction. "I didn't know you were coming!"
Shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of the not so innocent thoughts playing in his mind, Raoul lifted his arm to Christine in greeting and to show her where he was at.
"Well, you have been going on and on so much about your lessons I thought that maybe it was time that I met the man who was tutoring you."
Christine's smile just got happier, making his insides feel warm.
"Come up! Come up!" she ushered him, gesturing towards him with an arm to hurry up as he made his way up the steps.
As Raoul got to the last step Christine had made it to him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the center of the stage. Still clutching his arm, Christine stopped them in front of Erik who had remained silent since pointing him out.
"Raoul, this is Erik, Erik, Raoul de Chagny." Christine announced, practically vibrating next to him in her excitement.
Not that he blamed her, this is what she had wanted.
Now that Raoul was closer he noticed that Erik and he were about the same height, maybe an inch in Erik's favor. The sex appeal he had been radiating earlier was now, not gone—never gone, but more restrained since he was now back to being himself instead of a character. Which to Raoul, just show more of his brilliance. He was more refrained, not a hair out of place which just made him want to see what he was like when ruffled a bit…
"Mr. de Chagny." Erik interrupted his straying thoughts. He held out a hand to him, eyes giving him a once over, lingering a little before meeting his eyes.
"Raoul is fine." he replied taking his hand and shaking it, liking that his grip was firm but not overly so.
When Christine let out a huff, Raoul let Erik's hand go. "I'll like to see you try to get him to call you by first name. No matter how much I argue, he still doesn't call me Christine and I've known him for a month!"
"I'll take it as a challenge then!" he replied glancing over at Christine before turning back to Erik. "That was some singing the two of you did right now! You must have been practicing a lot."
"Oh no, we just did it for the first time now." Christine answered smugly. He blinked.
"No way! That was too good to have just been the one time!" he objected in disbelief.
Christine stuck her tongue out at him. "It's true! Are you really going to think I don't know how to do my favorite opera song? You've only seen me perform it in our living room about a million times."
"Well, yeah but—"
"And don't you think the creator would also know everything about it!" Christine continued. Gesturing with her head, a few loose curls of her hair bouncing, towards Erik, who just watched them in silence.
Raoul let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, okay. Sheesh, you got me."
When Christine just grinned, he glanced back at Erik.
Erik was smirking now and his eyes were lightened in amusement.
"Miss Daae, since your session is over, you should go get your things from my office. I would like to speak with Mr. de Chagny alone, if you wouldn't mind."
Raoul felt his heart skip a beat while Christine nodded and let him go. Walking over to the piano on the stage she picked up a set of keys, and as she began walking to the stage wing she called back, "Just don't hurt him! I would hate to for that pretty face to get bruised!"
"I shall do nothing of the sort!" Erik replied so seriously that Christine laughed as she disappeared into the darkness backstage. Once she was gone, Erik's eyes focused completely on Raoul, causing him to fight back a shuddered that was not at all from fear.
"So based on what you said earlier, I should be expecting you to be coming to Miss Daae's lessons once in a while?" Erik inquired.
He shrugged, suddenly unsure. "Yeah, I mean, if it's not too much trouble."
Erik shrugged, Raoul's eyes unconsciously trailing the roll of his shoulders. He now understood what Christine meant about those shoulders. His attention being drawn back when Erik spoke. "I do not see your attendance as a problem unless you interfere with the lessons. That is the one thing I will now stand for."
Raoul nodded quickly when he had narrowed eyes directed at him, waiting for his reply. Apparently Erik was satisfied with that because he continued.
"There is something that you might wish to consider though."
Folding his arms across his chest, Raoul squinted in confusion. "What?"
Erik's gaze drifted downwards towards his lower half then back up and replied, "You might not wish to come if such a thing will be occurring every time."
Even more confused Raoul looked down and suddenly noticed what Erik had seen. Heat flooding his cheeks, horror filling his whole being, he turned away from him trying to cover his awkwardness.
"I'm so sorry!" Great, just great! Not the best way to make a good impression!
"It is alright." Erik replied calmly from behind him. "You would be surprised by how not uncommon it is to be so attracted to a voice."
"Why? Does it happen to you too?" Raoul grumbled, still not willing to face him.
"Me? Oh no, but I have seen it happen in many others."
Probably all because it's your voice that does it to them, he thought, grumbly.
"I guess I am just taken by surprise myself because I had thought you would know that about yourself since you have heard Miss Daae probably many times." Erik continued, sounding almost childishly confused.
That made Raoul draw in a sharp breath. Oh my god, the things you can do with your voice! He thought. And he's thinking this was because of Christine?! Well, he guessed that it might be a good thing for now.
Luckily he didn't need to reply because Christine walked in with her stuff. She came over to him and grabbed his hand. As she began pulling him off the stage towards the exit, she turned back to wave at Erick.
"Bye Erik!"
As Raoul was about to go through the door, he took a glance back and saw Erik still on stage, his hand raised in the air in goodbye.
Because they had both driven to the theatre Christine and Raoul split to drive back. Christine had gotten back first so when he had entered the front door she ambushed him. Not even waiting for him to put his things down, she dragged him to the couch and pushed him down before sitting down next to him.
"So?" she pressed eagerly.
Just to annoy her, he pretended to think for a few moments, every second he could tell that Christine was getting more and more irritated until she finally slapped him on the shoulder making him laugh.
"Okay, okay. Yes! My answer is yes."
She beamed and threw her arms around Raoul. Eventually pulling back her hands on his shoulders.
"I knew it! As soon as you walked on stage, I knew you were going to say yes!"
"Wait…You mean you noticed?!" he accused, dismayed.
She winked teasingly at him. "Of course I noticed. And I most certainly knew that it wasn't from my singing. Is that what you guys talked about while I got my stuff?"
Seriously, Raoul's cheeks were going to go permanently red at this rate. "Some of it. He also gave me permission to show up to your lessons as long as I didn't interrupt."
Christine cackled. "This is great! Now we can start trying to see if he might be interested in us."
He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him, stopping her an inch away from him.
"Yes, but until then, why don't you let me show you how must I enjoyed both of you on stage." Raoul said huskily.
Christine's pupils dilated.
Hmm…I don't really have any notes for this chapter. I loved writing this one though because you have both Christine and Raoul's POV with a part that shows how they think about Erik. This is not the last time I'll mess with Raoul. Call me mean, but it's fun making him the character that embarrassing things happen to.
Next chapter will be in Erik's POV and Madame Giry will be introduced as well.
Comments are loved! Hoped you enjoyed the read!