Disclaimer: Please don't sue. I don't own POTO. All I own is an overactive imagination.
Summary: ErikRaoul slash.
Warning(s): homosexuality (that's what slash is people, but in later chapters though)
Pairing(s): ErikRaoul
A/N: Sorry took so long to update after I'd been on a roll. I was just unfortunately correct when I said this week would be bad. I haven't been writing... which is technically not true since the reason this week's so bad is because I have a deadline on Sunday (that I'm writing like hell just to make) so I haven't been able to write fanfiction (it's a sad day when I can't write fanfiction). Even sadder is that I can't even promise next week will be better since I don't find out until Sunday. Let's cross our fingers.
Oh, and if I feel as though I haven't updated in a long time. I'll usually drop by my xanga (/aimlessdrifter) to leave a note (if I have the time), so go check there when in doubt.
Story Note: Christine's in this chapter. Hah, and you thought I was ignoring her. Well, though technically I was in the first few chapters, but can you blame me? Oh and it's a little confusing that Raoul's imaginary friend is named Erik and I'll be referring to him more often who may be confused with Erik the opera ghost one. Imaginaryfriend!Erik's words are in italics (as well as Raoul's responses to him), and he's usually only mentioned when he speaks and Raoul's thinking about him.
o.o.o.o
Imaginary Friends
Chapter 09 – Confrontations
o.o.o.o
By: Lucifer Rosemaunt
o.o.o.o
Last time: First choices were made. Erik and Raoul have chosen their paths. Raoul becomes a little more intrigued with the ghost. Erik decides to hide his presence from Christine in hopes of one day having a good (better?) response. Erik's managed to convince himself that Christine's the one for him.
o.o.o
Christine woke up shivering. Wondering why her room could possibly be this cold, she reached out blindly for her blanket but could not find it. All she touched was cold hard floor.
Cold hard floor?
Her mind woke up more quickly. She pushed herself up to a sitting position realizing along the way that she was not in her room. She was not even in a bed.
She looked around becoming more alarmed with each passing second. It was dim, but she could tell that she was in a long hallway; no, more of a tunnel. Moreover, she had been sleeping on the floor. She looked at disgust at the floor and heard squeaks that made her scramble to her feet in fear. She had heard that rats would eat the flesh off your face if you were not too careful. She checked her face for any wounds but found nothing. However, a dirty floor and rats were the least of her problems.
She had no idea where she was.
Close to panicking, she yelled out a shaky "Hello." The echo made her cover her ears, and the eerie response of her own voice made her fear that something else had indeed responded. Something that was not human. Her heart was racing and her breathing shallow. She hugged herself for more warmth and looked around once more hoping to see some sign of life or hope.
Ghosts. There were ghosts in these tunnels, and she did not know how to defend herself from ghosts. She knew that she should not have listened to all the stories the ballet girls would tell, but she never thought that those stories would actually frighten her.
Possibly worse than ghosts however was the fact that she could not rightly remember how she got there.
Maybe this was a dream. She hoped it was. If she could not remember how she got there, how would she ever find her way out? And by the look of this tunnel, it did not seem to have an end. In fact, all she looked into when she tried to see farther was pure darkness. She did not want to have to venture out of the light.
However, if it were a dream, she would be safely sleeping in her bed. That was it. When she woke up, she would laugh at her dream and pull the blankets even tighter around herself. Then, she would be able to celebrate the success of Hannibal. She would celebrate with Meg and all the dancers even the managers and Raoul.
Raoul had been in her dream. Raoul had visited her. No, she had been awake for that. That had not been a part of her dream.
She had not seen him in years, and though he had not recognized her earlier, he had been so excited to see her after the opera. That energy reminded her of him as a child. It had taken him some time to become comfortable around her, but she realized that her first impression of him had been wrong.
When she first met Raoul when she lost her scarf to the sea, she thought he was rude, sullen, and boring. Even though he saved her scarf, after it had been returned, he just walked away. Christine had chased after him. Raoul had been the first child her age and she had been so bored alone. Yet, as she watched Raoul, he seemed to play by himself just fine. It had felt as though Raoul were playing with someone and Christine had been an interloper.
No one had ever ignored her before. She was the daughter of a famous violinist. Everyone wanted to play with her. It was not until her father came did Raoul show any particular interest in her and even then, he had been tentative around her.
That summer had been nice. She only held fond memories of him though they did fight often, but as children, they were prone to petty arguments. Those arguments were usually because more often than not she still felt like an interloper. Raoul would ignore her for extended periods – as though he were holding conversations with himself – and Christine hated to be left out. She always assumed he was doing it on purpose just to make her mad.
They got along well enough when he was not ignoring her though. The Raoul she met seemed to remember the fond moments they had shared as well. He had been a little overbearing though. He should have listened to her when she said her angel was not going to appreciate her going out.
Then, what had happened?
Raoul left to get the carriage even though she had protested. She had heard a voice. Not just any voice, it had been her angel's voice. Did she fall asleep then?
No, the mirror had opened and she had finally seen him. He had been a masked man, handsome and entrancing. They walked through magnificently opulent hallways, rode a horse through more tunnels, and rode a boat on a glassy lake.
She was convinced that such a concept was absurd. A horse in a tunnel? An underground lake? It could not have happened. She decided that she must have been dreaming and ended up sleepwalking. The main focal point of her inability to accept her memory as truth was because her angel could not be a masked man. Her angel could not be a man at all.
If she had slept-walked then, that meant that she was still inside the opera house. She just needed to find her way out. She looked down the long hallways again. Thinking that the right tunnel seemed to have more light, she decided to walk in that direction.
She just hoped that she was right about what had happened. She was scared, alone, and cold. She could not afford to be wrong about her situation. She did not want to be afraid of a madman who called himself an angel.
o.o.o
Erik had considered giving her another draught of laudanum but he just could not afford to hurt her. He could not stand her being so physically close yet so much farther than she had ever been.
And if he listened to that little part inside of him, he felt like he was somehow betraying Raoul by keeping her there. He ignored that part of his mind rather obstinately.
He had had her for only two days but he could think of no other way to deal with the situation he had somehow found himself in. He did not want her to discover his true identity just yet, not when their shared goal of fame had yet to be accomplished.
So, he had carried her from the swan bed through to the tunnels far away from his home. To buy more time for his letters to reach the managers, he would allow her to wander for a while before leading her to her room.
He was tempted to leave her alone to see how well his notes were received, but until she was out of his tunnels, he could not leave her. By some twist of fate, she might be able to find her way into his home. Worse yet, she could fall into one of the traps and he might be too slow to find her.
Erik knew he was doing the right thing by releasing her sooner than he had initially planned. As he watched her begin to walk down the tunnel, he suddenly felt that he would only ever be able to watch her from a distance. He had never before felt his doubts rise up against him as such and he had a hard time ignoring them. He forced his doubts down and knew that he would have to work harder to keep Christine.
o.o.o
Raoul woke up and eagerly headed towards Philippe's room. A night apart should have been enough time for his brother to calm down. However, when he burst into the room, he found it empty.
Something probably happened with his business, Erik's voice reasoned.
Raoul agreed but he still could not believe that Philippe had left. He still had so much to say to him.
You could tell them to me. Raoul shrugged. It was not the same. Erik had been there with him. Not only could he tell Philippe about the opera ghost, but he could also ask what Philippe had meant about him being kidnapped again.
Raoul did not remember being kidnapped before, and last night he had tried to think as far back as he could. Philippe had never said anything before about a kidnapping although there had been no particular reason to bring it up before either. Erik did not remember anything about it either.
It was a little disturbing though that when yesterday's headache had finally disappeared, his imaginary friend seemed to speak up more than Raoul had ever heard in years. He had been lying in his bed listening to the music in his head, a lullaby. Then, instead of falling asleep, he found himself conversing with Erik.
Shouldn't he be over imaginary friends at this age?
He did not try to ignore him though. It was odd. He was sure of it, but what harm could come of it? What he did think about though was why Erik decided this particular time to begin to speak again. There were usually only offhand comments and his presence was always felt, but he was being rather vocal now. His voice reminded him of the ghost too. Perhaps it was the ghost's fault stirring up memories. Perhaps it was because the rumour of the ghost had been true. He had talked with a ghost, so why was it so unnatural for him to talk to his friend, imaginary or not.
But when he said it like that, he felt like he was a little insane. That would mean that he was insane as a child though. For the first time in his life, Raoul doubted his sanity. The idea of being insane because of Erik had never come to mind.
You're not insane.
Raoul scoffed. He generally would not believe voices in his head that supported his sanity. He knew that Erik was amused. Raoul frowned and thought that maybe the stress was finally getting to him. He could be excused as a child to have an imaginary playmate, but as an adult, he should understand what reality was.
And currently reality is? A kidnapping ghost who roams secret passageways behind the walls of the opera house and threatens lives with falling sceneries and half a face.
Raoul groaned. That was quite a compelling argument for an imaginary person. He sighed. Erik's presence was not actually a bad thing. With Erik's renewed participation in his life, Raoul felt that maybe his memories could be unlocked soon. He felt the reason Erik had come back fully was because he was closer than he had ever been to remembering.
He did not know when or how he had become so obsessed with unlocking his past, but he knew it had started young. Erik existed because of his interest in his own past. How could he not remember? Raoul did not remember everything that occurred in his life before the present, but none of them left a gaping hole in him than the memories before his parents' deaths. He had been young so he did not quite understand how anything that important could have happened to him at the time, but he always felt as though he were missing something important. He felt at times as though he was letting someone down, and he had come to the conclusion that it was Erik. Who else could there be, but the voice, which sang him to sleep?
Sitting down on Philippe's bed, he was startled out of his thoughts when his butler walked through the door.
"I thought I would find you here, Vicomte."
Raoul looked up and tried to hide his disappointment. He momentarily thought it could have been Philippe.
The butler noticed anyway. "The Comte had to leave quite early this morning when a letter from his business partners of his new venture arrived. It looked rather urgent."
Told you.
Raoul ignored the smug tone in his voice. He too had expected as much. "You were looking for me?" He prompted.
"Yes," the butler held out an envelope, "you have also received a letter."
"Oh," Raoul reached out to take it. The seal immediately caught his eye. A skull. The ghost. "Thank you," he replied distractedly. He thanked Erik too for his all too obvious observation. He could think of no one else who would own a skull seal. He took the letter and quickly went to his study where he could have some privacy.
He scanned the letter already knowing who it was from. Not believing what he had read, he read it slower the second time.
o.o
Greetings Vicomte,
I hope this note finds you in good health since the last I had seen you. I believe we have made a deal with each other. I will return Christine today and as I previously said, my requests are enclosed in this note.
They are as follows:
My salary must be paid.
Box 5 will be kept empty and clean for my use.
Christine will be the lead for Il Muto and all subsequent operas for as long as she desires (or until I desire).
All knowledge you have of my presence and the presence of my tunnels will remain a secret from everyone.
Christine's tutoring cannot be disrupted.
You are never to be alone with Christine at any time – at least two other individuals must chaperone the visit.
If you do need to speak with her, all chaperoned visits will be no longer than half an hour.
All half hour visits must be limited to by most three times a day.
Any other request made after this note must also be followed.
That is my only request. I have kept my end of the deal, now you must keep yours.
Your Obedient Servant,
OG
PS
A note has been enclosed that can be shown to the managers. They too have received requests from me.
o.o
Raoul could not believe the gall of the man. 'That is my only request.' How could he say that when he made about eight requests plus the ability to make more requests whenever he felt the need? Not to mention the absurdity of them!
He had been fine until about the sixth request. Then he could not believe how juvenile the ghost could be. Raoul had already apologized and given his word that he would not pursue Christine. How could that be not enough?
Chaperoned half-hour visits not more than three times a day? The ghost was trying to make a fool out of him.
Don't get too excited, Erik warned.
This was a change. Raoul had always been the calmer one, and Erik was the one who allowed his temper to flare. Raoul would not listen to his words though. He stormed out of his study and changed his clothes. He would head directly to the opera house find his way back into those tunnels and confront the ghost about the note.
You need to calm down.
Raoul responded, You need to be more angry. You read the requests.
Erik remained silent and sullen. It had been the first time that Raoul had directly addressed him and it had been words of anger.
He walked through his home his anger not abating. He had every intention to tell the ghost exactly what he thought of his requests. When he had reached the front door, he still had not calmed down; however, his butler stood in front of the door.
Raoul was about to speak when his butler spoke first. Raoul expected him to berate him for losing his temper over a note, but he did not.
Instead he spoke calmly and said simply "Breakfast is ready."
He was taken aback for a moment before his anger seemed to dissipate. He nodded slowly and followed his butler to the breakfast nook.
He should eat and think about what his options were. He could not just storm into the opera house holding a grudge against the ghost. He might be killed that way. He needed to calm down.
I wonder where I heard that logic before? Erik said sarcastically.
Raoul apologized, but Erik ignored him still. Raoul wondered if their interactions always been this complicated and he knew that they had always had fights. He knew that just like with Philippe a little time apart would help. He would let Erik stay angry and try not to aggravate him further. He focused instead on his next plan of action concerning the opera ghost though half of his attention was focused on his imaginary friend.
Breakfast was exactly what he needed because by the time he was finished, he knew that he would have to wait before he could make that trip into the tunnels again. Erik scoffed in his head. Raoul had business to take care of before he could endanger himself by exploring. He assumed that if he received a note, the managers would have received one as well, which would explain the extra note that the ghost had given him.
The extra note said nothing more than that the Angel of Music had Christine.
Surely, the ghost must have realized he knew of Msr Daae's stories about the Angel of Music. Why bother using that title?
For a while, he had imagined that Erik was that Angel of Music. He imagined that Erik had been any angel actually, but it seemed so much more appropriate to be the Angel of Music. He did not have the time to try to decipher the ways of the ghost though. He would have to deal with the managers. He had a feeling that they would not handle to orders being given to them very well.
Raoul also wanted to ensure that Christine would be returned today (if he could trust the ghost's word) which meant that the rehearsals for Il Muto could begin. Raoul could sense Erik bristle at the mention of Christine's name. He would have to make certain that Christine would be the lead. The managers had already agreed to it, but Raoul needed to confirm it with them once again.
Raoul smiled because he knew that Erik had always disliked Christine, but for his sake, he had dealt with her. Thinking of Carlotta, he knew that Erik would dislike her even more. At least, he would have some support. Erik grudgingly agreed.
o.o.o
Firmin could not believe all the free publicity the opera house was getting with Mlle Daae's disappearance. He tried to ignore the fact that it was probably indeed a kidnapping. He had other things to worry about, like the note currently in his pocket.
En route to his office, he ran into Andre.
"Ah, Andre. We have much to discuss."
Andre nodded and in hushed tones replied, "It is about..."
Firmin hushed him, "Not here. Only in our office."
He nodded once more before lifting a letter up, "More news though. I have received a note just this morning."
"One of the ghostly variety?" Firmin asked even though he knew the answer already.
"It cannot be a ghost," Andre replied though his voice suggested otherwise, "it must be some sort of madman."
Under his breath Firmin responded, "Or a devious Vicomte."
Raoul entered the opera house flustered. He and Erik had decided that flustered would be the best response to show the managers about the letter he held.
"What is the meaning of this?" Raoul said immediately spotting the managers standing on the second level by the stairs. He bounded up the stairs and stood before them.
Firmin took the note and read it aloud.
"Angel of Music?" Andre repeated.
"What does that mean?" Raoul pressed.
Firmin handed the letter back. "We know as much as you Msr."
Raoul frowned. Firmin had given him a look when he had responded. I don't trust him. Raoul was inclined to agree with him. He wondered if the manager realized that he had indeed seen the opera ghost and that he had spoken with him. He was about to voice some mindless conjectures when Carlotta and Piangi walked up to them.
"I rather resent this letter, Vicomte," Carlotta looked at him accusingly.
"What letter?" Raoul looked affronted, and this time he did not need to act the expression.
The letter was practically shoved into his face. "This letter."
Raoul read it and nearly laughed aloud. Technically, he could have sent the letter to her since he agreed with everything in it. He forced himself to frown instead, "I did not send this."
"Then who did?" Piangi stepped forward to defend Carlotta.
"Probably," Raoul said defensively, "the same individual who sent us all letters."
Carlotta and Piangi looked slightly appeased, but Raoul felt that it was his opportunity to confront them.
"But," he looked to the managers for some assistance, "I believe Mlle Daae should take the lead in Il Muto."
Carlotta gasped rather dramatically before screeching, "Never!"
Piangi echoed her sentiment.
She continued, "Then it truly was you who sent these notes. You're her lover, aren't you?" Carlotta began to ramble and to speak accusations about plots to destroy her livelihood.
Raoul ignored much of what she said. He looked to the managers for some help in the matter, but they offered nothing. Erik spat out various curses at them. Most of which Raoul had not known had been in his mind. Feeling more than a little betrayed, Raoul shot back sarcastically, "Indeed. Regardless of the situation though, I still want Mlle Daae to be the lead."
"This is a disgrace. Are you planning to give her all my parts? Just like in Hannibal."
"If you recall, Madame," Raoul bit out, "it was not Mlle Daae who stole the part. It was you who gave it away."
Carlotta was silenced. She turned to the managers and asked, "What do you think? You are the managers."
Raoul looked at them expectantly missing the exact expression on Carlotta's face.
Andre looked flustered, but it was Firmin who seemed more resolved than anything who spoke, "I think that La Carlotta should continue to be our prima donna."
This time Raoul mentally said those curses himself. The managers were lucky that Raoul had a large amount of self-control because at the moment, he wanted to grab Firmin and shake him violently. He wanted to yell at them demanding why they were changing what they had discussed just yesterday. They were lucky because even though Erik's ideas of revenge seemed very attractive now, Raoul would not allow himself to do them. He simply clenched his fists so tightly that they were becoming numb.
"I will exercise my right as the patron to demand that Mlle Daae be lead." Raoul stared down the managers. He had been naive to think that they would remain on his side. Maybe he had been naive enough to think that he had any allies at all. This was all business, but if it were, then Raoul truly did not understand why the managers were so intent on keeping Carlotta on the stage. From a purely business standpoint, Christine was obviously the better product.
Carlotta stormed away saying that she would never allow such a thing to happen. Raoul stood his ground and watched while the managers chased her down. He decided to let the managers deal with her. He was still unsure of how to react to the recent betrayal.
Surely, it was his fault. He would know now to not trust anything from the managers' mouths. It's not your fault. We should plot revenge. Raoul found himself smiling at Erik's suggestion.
"Raoul," a voice called out.
"Yes," he responded expecting the managers to be around. When he looked though, there was no one near him. The managers were still talking with Carlotta and Piangi trying to calm her down and convince her to take the smaller role.
Assuming that he had just imagined the voice, he watched the managers with waning interest. He was sick of the theatre for today. He wanted to go home, and once it was settled that Christine would be the lead, he would. He had to see if the ghost kept up his end of the deal and returned her today. After the managers' betrayal, Raoul really wanted to see if the ghost was a liar.
What do you think of the ghost? Raoul asked.
Erik was silent for a moment. He has a nice voice.
o.o.o
Near Raoul, Erik stood watching what had transpired. He had just gone through the painstaking job of leading Christine back to her room without revealing that she was being led. It had not been quite as difficult as he thought it would be.
She had wandered rather aimlessly trying to push against the walls wherever the sounds of the opera house was heard. She had thankfully not discovered any exits. It did not take her very long to sit on the floor and begin to cry. She thought she was going to die in the tunnels. She called out to her angel, but Erik never responded.
Christine had given up hope early on in her endeavor to find a way out. She felt like she had spent hours upon hours walking when in truth it had not been long at all. At least in her tired state, she was less frightened. It took too much energy to be that frightened. She closed her eyes and dozed in a fitful sleep. She would wake minutes later frightened and thinking she had heard footsteps.
When Erik was certain that his notes had been received, he opened the mirror entrance to her room slightly and sent a couple of large rats her way. He had extinguished most of the torches on the path. He had seen her avoid the darker areas and had known that he could use it to his benefit.
She reacted exactly as Erik had anticipated. She stood up and began to run through the tunnels. She had been running for a while when she saw the opening. Christine ran to it desperate to make it out of the tunnels. Throwing herself on the bed, she did not realize when Erik closed the mirror behind her. He locked it so that neither she nor anyone she told would ever be able to open it.
Her sobbing was loud enough to catch the attention of Madame Giry and Meg who had been nearby.
"Christine!" Meg rushed to her side.
"Meg?" Christine looked up not quite believing it was her, "I'm so glad to see you."
"Where have to you been?" Madame Giry queried.
Christine pointed to the mirror, "There's a passageway there and..." she looked to the mirror but saw that it was locked. Jumping off the bed, she ran to the mirror. "This was open." She pushed on it, but it would not budge.
Erik stood on the other side watching her with sadness. She looked insane. Her hair was in disarray, her dress dirty, and tears were streaming down her face. Yet, he did not feel remorse for what he had done. He was actually more disappointed that she could not handle his tunnels. She had been there for a few hours. Could she really not stand a few hours of uncertainty without going mad? If she could not, when he permanently took her away from the life she knew, he would lose her shortly after.
She was a creature of the light. The darkness had frightened her. The uncertainty, unknown, and imagined were too much for her. He had known it before, but now it was painfully obvious. She would suffocate in his cellar, in his home.
"I was lost for I don't know how long," Christine wailed. She began to bang on the mirror until Madame Giry pulled her away and sat her back on the bed.
"You've been gone for two days," Meg offered.
Christine looked at her in shock, "It felt like... forever."
Madame Giry sent a knowing look to the mirror before continuing to comfort Christine.
"Why don't you get some rest?" She suggested.
Christine nodded meekly. "I don't know how I survived that long. It was horrible." She said the fear easily seen in her eyes.
Meg looked as though she were about to cry. "You're here with us now, Christine. You'll be fine."
"I never want to go there again. It was like hell," Christine said before Madame Giry hushed her. Christine closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.
Erik stood behind the mirror angered by what he had heard. Hell? His home was indeed a hell. His Christine never wanted to go there again, but then again, who would dare travel down into the tunnels when there was a certainty that one would be lost?
He left her presence. Then leaving a note where he was certain Madame Giry would find it, he tried to get the bitterness out of his thoughts. Walking to the main hall, he witnessed Raoul exercising his power as the patron to state that Christine would be the lead.
Carlotta had stormed off and without thinking, Erik moved closer to Raoul. Raoul looked tired and distracted as though he were not actually watching the managers arguing with Carlotta. With the volume and speed at which Carlotta was yelling, Erik could guess why he was tired, but he wanted to know what Raoul was thinking. Seeing Raoul in such a state made him forget about Christine's harsh decree. He wanted to somehow comfort him.
Comfort?
It was a foreign word in his vocabulary, so perhaps it was not comfort. He did want to hurt the managers, Carlotta, and Piangi for causing Raoul such worries, but then again, he reasoned, the need to hurt them seemed to be rather consistent.
When he called out for Raoul, it had been wholly unintentional. Thankfully, Raoul ignored his call after failing to see anyone.
Erik had to remember to stay away from him.
So, why was he watching him right now?
To make sure his requests were met of course.
He sneaked closer to where the mangers and opera singers were in a heated yet whispered conversation.
"I refuse to play a silent role," Carlotta hissed.
"You must," Firmin insisted.
Carlotta looked unconvinced.
"We are," Firmin considered his wording and looked over to where Raoul stood, "greatly considering your proposition."
Both Carlotta and Piangi looked pleased. She huffed and nodded before making a grand exit.
Erik watched this disturbed. He had hardly been gone two days and Carlotta was plotting something with the managers. By their furtive glances towards the Vicomte, he knew that Raoul had been left out of it. In fact, he was certain that Raoul would not like their surprise.
He followed the managers back to Raoul.
"And?" Raoul prompted.
Andre replied, "She has agreed."
Raoul nodded his approval. He frowned however, "And why did you not immediately support my statement? We had spoken yesterday about making Christine the lead singer for Il Muto."
Firmin looked unfazed, "We could not let La Carlotta know that it had occurred beforehand or else she would have never agreed."
Raoul looked unconvinced and so too was Erik. Erik wondered about their conversation yesterday. His notes had not been sent out until this morning so if Raoul had spoken to the managers yesterday, then the Vicomte had been serious about believing Christine should be lead.
Erik had not exactly doubted Raoul, but he had not realized how adamant he had been.
Raoul was about to retort when Madame Giry showed up.
"Mlle Daae has returned."
The managers shared a look before Firmin glanced suspiciously at Raoul. Raoul did not notice the look, but Erik did. She handed them a note, which outlined a few more requests.
Raoul had had enough of the opera house. He had had enough of the mind games that everyone seemed to be playing. Getting the managers attention, he said seriously, "I do hope you will follow the ghost's orders and mine as well."
Raoul did not wait for a response. He walked out of the theatre and went home.
Firmin watched him leave with disdain.
Andre commented uncertainly, "Maybe you were correct about him using the ghost as a ruse, but how to do you explain the falling scenery?"
"Accidents do occur, Andre," Firmin said icily, "but coincidences like this hardly do."
Erik could not believe that they actually thought Raoul was devious enough to conduct such a ruse. He was more angered that they did not take him seriously. He would show them just how real he truly was.
However, he was intrigued to see how this played out. He could remain in the shadows a little longer. He had not promised Raoul that he would not terrorize the opera house any more though it had been understood. Erik would see what Raoul would do to keep his opera house safe and doing well.
o.o.o
Rehearsals began with Christine firmly in the lead.
She seemed to have put the whole ordeal of her 'sleepwalking' out of her mind once she heard that she would be playing the lead in Il Muto. She also did not suspect that her tutor had been the true culprit of her disappearance.
She had heard from Meg that the story that had been going around was the fact that the opera ghost had kidnapped her. Christine was inclined to believe it because it was just like her dream, but she did not understand why after going through the trouble of kidnapping her did he leave her in the tunnels. The voice that had lured her out through the mirror had been her angel's. He could not be the opera ghost.
She would not allow herself to believe that the awful ghost was her angel. She asked him what had happened to her that night, but Erik claimed ignorance of the situation. He would not let her discuss it for very long.
He visited her every night to continue their voice lessons. He was even stricter on her to keep her mind from wandering, but she was improving every day. Everyone at rehearsals could tell, even Carlotta could.
Yet, even with this new development, he was not satisfied. He could not be satisfied. He watched her becoming more loved by everyone and it would only make it that much harder to pull her away from that life.
He was helping her achieve her goals, but he was being left behind. He was going to be alone again if this kept up. He could not allow that. Once Il Muto was done, he would take her. He would not allow her to ever leave him.
Even as he thought that, he felt as though it were already too late. He could not give her both fame and keep her to himself. That was the initial problem to begin with. She would have to learn to dream his dreams. She would have to learn to love him. Fear could turn to love.
o.o.o
For Raoul, every morning he dreaded going to the opera house. He would go to ensure the fact that Christine was still playing the lead since he no longer believed that the managers would keep their word on the matter or on any matter.
He had thought that things would get easier since Carlotta had already agreed to play the secondary role, but instead she decided to make his life hell. At least that's what he thought. She would argue and complain everyday with him. She simply bypassed the managers and went directly to him to scream at. He could only take so much. He wanted dearly to just stay in his home until opening night, but it was his duty to help in some intermediary processes of the opera house. He could not hide out.
But everyday? He groaned whenever he woke up. He was starting to believe that the managers, Carlotta, and Piangi were conspiring against him to make his life as unhappy as it could be. Every little problem was brought to his attention, and even when he offered solutions, they would immediately disregard them.
It was two weeks into the rehearsals when Raoul sent a note to the managers claiming illness. He had it all planned out. He would claim illness for at least three days and then return refreshed to handle whatever was thrown at him.
Great. Run away from your problems.
Raoul frowned. Don't argue. I'm tired. I know you're tired from hearing them, too.
Then don't run. Stay and do something about it. Erik argued disappointment clearly in his voice.
Just, Raoul sighed, let me have this small reprieve. When I return, I'll deal with them.
Okay. The resign in Erik's voice rang clearly in Raoul's head.
In the evening of the second day of his feigned illness, he was surprised by a visit by the managers. He wrapped a robe around himself and met them in the sitting room. He pinched his cheeks and dabbed his face with water to look at least somewhat visibly ill.
"Andre. Firmin. I'm surprised to see you visit." Raoul sat down and motioned for them to do so as well.
"Yes," Firmin scrutinized him.
Raoul was momentarily afraid Firmin would realize that he was not actually ill, but ignored the panic. "It's a slight fever. I didn't want to get anyone else at the opera house sick, so I decided to wait until it ran its course."
"Of course, of course." Andre chimed in. He looked less suspicious, more nervous. "You've confined yourself to your house?"
"Um," Raoul was confused at the question, "Yes, I've been home all of yesterday and today."
"But you're doing better now, right?" Firmin asked.
This feels like a trap, Erik commented. Raoul agreed.
He nodded, "Is something wrong?"
"No," Andre immediately answered, too quickly for Raoul to think nothing had happened.
Firmin rolled his eyes, "There have been a series of accidents."
"No one's harmed are they?" Raoul asked immediately concerned. If the ghost did anything, he would have to do something in retaliation.
Andre shook his head vigorously, "They appear to be warnings only. No one has been injured, just a few sceneries and close calls."
"Warnings?" Raoul tried to sound truly confused.
"The ghost," Firmin answered even though he sounded unconvinced himself that there was such a thing.
Raoul looked at them in disbelief, "You still believe that rumour?"
Andre immediately started his defense, "It is no rumour. We must take him seriously. There have been too many accidents. Then there were those notes."
"Probably some madman," Firmin cut Andre off. He stood up and Andre followed suit, "We just wanted to make sure you were well in health. We shall be taking our leave now."
Raoul watched them leave. Their visit had been rather unexpected, but it also seemed quite suspicious. Those two had ulterior motives, Raoul just could not figure out what they were.
They think, Erik hesitated for a moment, I think they think you're the ghost.
Raoul scoffed. I'm the ghost?
Their questions and Firmin's suspicious looks. They do not like you, Erik observed, I don't trust them.
Raoul thought about Erik's words. The managers thought he was the opera ghost. That was absurd, but now that he thought about it, the past few days do seem quite suspicious. It would also explain Firmin's reactions to him.
o.o.o
Outside his house, Firmin stopped when they were about to pass a gardener. Getting the man's attention, Firmin asked, "Do you work here everyday?"
The man looked at Firmin in confusion, "I'm the groundskeeper here; of course I work here everyday."
"Firmin," Andre tried to pull him away, but Firmin stayed firm. They had come here to check if all the accidents that had been occurring in the opera house were due to the Vicomte pretending to be this ghost so that he would get his way. It was much too much of a coincidence that the accidents had only begun once more after the Vicomte became 'ill'.
"Has the Vicomte left these past two days?" Firmin asked.
"He's been bedridden with illness. I haven't seen him leave." The groundskeeper continued working thinking that their conversation was over.
Firmin fumbled through his wallet pulling out a several francs. Grabbing the groundskeeper's hand, he shoved the money into it and asked again, "Has he left the estate at all?"
Looking at the money in his hand and then at the man, the groundskeeper was not sure if he was deaf or stupid. He responded once again, "No, he hasn't left. He is ill. Did you not discover that yourself when you spoke with him?"
Firmin pulled more francs out and offered it, "How much does the Vicomte pay you for your silence."
"My silence?"
"Your discretion." Firmin replied growing more agitated.
The groundskeeper looked affronted. He threw the money in his hand at Firmin. "The Vicomte is a good man. He would not need to pay any of his employees for their discretion. Now, excuse me while I continue working."
Andre finally managed to pull Firmin away.
In the carriage, Andre tried to calm his partner. "The man was not lying."
"How do you know? The Vicomte has a lot of money," Firmin would not concede that there was such a thing as an opera ghost. It simply had to be the Vicomte. "The Vicomte is simply too clever."
Andre ignored him. He himself doubted the ghost's existence and the odd coincidences that had been occurring, but he did not think the Vicomte had to go through such deceptions to obtain what he wanted.
Erik watched the managers return. He had watched them, Carlotta, and Piangi attack Raoul constantly during the past two weeks. He waited to see how Raoul would handle it, but apparently, Raoul would not retaliate. He was much too kind for his own good, but luckily, Erik had no such limitations. He had not promised to behave. He had only promised to return Christine. He had behaved out of curiosity, and he told himself it was so that he would not have to confront Raoul again. It had nothing to do with the fact that he did not want to cause Raoul any more problems.
When Raoul failed to arrive at the opera house however, Erik had been annoyed.
He had been splitting his attention between Christine's rehearsals and Raoul's presence. Raoul unfortunately usually won out, but Erik reasoned it was only because of the interesting fights. It was not so that he could watch Raoul. It was not because he wanted to make sure the managers did not do anything to him, but even though he had been watching, they had been doing something. They were wearing him down. Erik had been only more convinced that they were plotting against Raoul, probably against him too.
When his time spent with Raoul was reduced, he found himself easily falling back into old habits. He was used to terrorizing the opera house, but now it was more focused. The four individuals who had made Raoul's time spent at the opera house a punishment would receive Erik's own type of punishment. Various dead rodents found their way into bedrooms and offices. There were also entrails that fell from the ceiling right when one of them passed by. There were waterlogged closets and falling sceneries.
With Raoul's absence, Erik felt less like he was being a problem for his patron.
Erik chided himself whenever he thought in those terms. Raoul was not his patron though his mind argued otherwise. Raoul was the patron of the opera house. The opera house was essentially Erik's so Raoul was his patron. There was no harm in thinking in those terms.
He assumed the managers had gone to see his patron to complain about the accidents. Until Raoul told him otherwise, the accidents would continue to occur. He had had enough of their harassment. No one else was allowed to harass his patron besides Erik himself.
o.o.o
When Raoul finally returned to the opera house two days later, he had expected the managers to come rushing to him, as they had been the previous weeks to complain about one thing or another; however, he was greeted by calm managers who led him to their office to talk about real business matters.
When he visited the rehearsals, he had expected Carlotta trailed closely by Piangi to come over to him and start complaining.
Instead, Christine came up to him smiling excitedly.
"We haven't talked since..."
"... since your debut in Hannibal." Raoul looked around glad that the stage was filled with people. He remembered the ghost's note. He knew it was an absurd request, but he had been so caught up with the opera house business that he had yet to find the time to speak to the ghost about his demands. Until that time, he would try to keep this conversation under thirty minutes, "You were wonderful."
It was a good thing that Raoul was so self-conscious since Erik watched their exchange closely. He knew he could not be angry just yet. Raoul had not spoken to Christine in weeks, and Christine had been the one to initiate the conversation. Erik was timing them though.
"Really?" Christine asked excitedly.
"Everyone must have told you. I don't know anyone who would disagree," Raoul praised. He felt slightly awkward. He did not know what to say to her. The last time he had spoken to her had been the night of her kidnapping. He wondered what she remembered of that night or if she would talk about it at all. From what he heard from the managers was that Christine had gotten lost in the tunnels. He had wondered how the ghost had managed to make her believe that. There had been the other option that she had made a promise just like his own to keep him a secret. That thought did not settle well with him.
Stop talking to her, Erik whined.
Raoul tried not to frown. We're not six anymore. You can't whine like that.
Both Erik and Raoul saw annoyance flicker across Christine's face.
Raoul remembered that look. He could not forget it since he had seen it at least twice everyday when they had shared their summer by the sea. Christine and he used to get into so many arguments.
Because she doesn't like you talking to me, Erik growled.
Raoul did not respond. He smiled brightly at Christine who had quickly masked her annoyance. Erik wondered what just transpired between them. Raoul had looked momentarily distracted, and Christine seemed to over-react to that inattention.
"You've been so busy that we haven't been able to talk." Christine spoke conspiratorially.
Raoul shrugged, "It's been quite hectic getting ready for Il Muto. I'm glad that you will play the lead."
"I heard," Christine smiled brightly, "that you had something to do with that." She brushed his arm lightly. Christine wanted Raoul to know that she still thought highly of him. She was still slightly annoyed that Raoul's inability to focus on her still existed. She had had a crush on him as a child and now that he was back, she wanted to rekindle that love.
Raoul tried not to pull away. He had given his word not to court her, but he could swear that she was flirting with him.
When he saw her, he had found memories of a summer so long ago. She was beautiful, and she sang almost as well as Erik. He should love her, but the surge of care he had felt for her when he first saw her sing had dulled. Perhaps it was the novelty of seeing someone from his childhood that had spurred his interest.
Perhaps it was truly just because her voice had stirred a memory he could not access. Erik had felt so real in that moment. He had felt so close to discovering the part of himself that had been lost. He had felt that she could complete him. He would have still believed that and believed that he loved her because of that feeling if it had not been for the ghost.
Thank, God, Erik commented, Anyone's better than Christine.
Raoul blatantly ignored that.
The ghost had more than just stirred up memories. He had unlocked one and had even managed to alter Raoul's impression of Erik. Not only that though, Raoul had pinky sworn that he would not pursue Christine. If he had truly loved her, he would not have been able to do so easily; yet he had.
"I," Raoul tried to think of what to say. He could not give her the wrong impression that he was doing it to get her attention. He simply thought she sang well, extremely well. He could be reading her intentions all wrong, but he did not want to have a misunderstanding, "Well, my-my..." He tried to think up a good lie. Erik supplied one. "My ladylove heard you sing and agreed that you were incredible."
You're horrible at lying. It'll be a miracle if she believes you.
Christine physically drew back. He could tell that she was stunned. He tried not to smile victoriously that he had been able to lie well enough to fool her.
As he watched, Erik was stunned too. He had heard nothing of a ladylove. He had not even thought that Raoul had one. Actually, the thought had never crossed his mind. It did not make sense though. Raoul said that he would not court Christine… unless Raoul had several women already. Erik looked at Raoul again trying to determine if he looked like the type to have multiple women. Erik could not believe it. Not Raoul.
"Oh," Christine said noticeably less energetic, "I hadn't known."
Erik scoffed. He had not known either.
Raoul looked apologetic, "Yes." Raoul tried to lighten the mood by whispering, "She insisted that you were so much better than La Carlotta."
You're much better than La Carlotta, Erik quipped. That doesn't say much.
Hey! Raoul responded, I sing quite well.
Christine smiled genuinely. She had been shocked, but maybe it was not supposed to happen that she married Raoul. When she saw Raoul's distracted expression again, she was glad that she would not have to compete with whoever Raoul thought about at those moments. She became more annoyed than disappointed. "Are you planning on marrying her?"
Raoul looked so taken aback that Christine had to laugh aloud. She enjoyed seeing the blush on his face. It was endearing. He sputtered and looked around the stage to look anywhere besides at her.
"That-I hadn't actually thought."
"Raoul," Christine had completely recovered from the shock of finding out about his ladylove. She would have to warn him about those moments when he excluded everyone for his thoughts. He might lose his ladylove in that manner, "if you want to talk, we're still friends, are we not?"
Raoul nodded mutely.
"You can talk to me about anything. If you want to buy the ring, come talk to me. Women have much better taste," she winked before leaving.
He let out a sigh of relief. He mentally thanked Erik who questioned why he had grown so flustered at the mention of marriage. Raoul walked away from the stage to sit in an orchestra seat.
It was not Raoul's fault that he became flustered at the thought of marriage. He had reached the age when he could marry. In fact, he should marry while he was young so that he could have children, but he did not know how to describe it. Philippe called him too naive, too innocent. Erik agreed.
Raoul disagreed. He had courted girls before. He danced with them, kissed them, and enjoyed those activities. Unlike his brother though, he would wait until marriage before he had sexual intercourse with any of them.
You'll be bad at it without practice. Erik gave the same argument Philippe did when they discussed such matters.
If I marry a virgin, that won't matter. Will it? Raoul argued.
Erik shrugged. Raoul did not mind having to deal with his pent up frustrations by himself. Erik laughed at him, and Raoul grinned. It was a little frustrating at times.
You're frustrated a lot of the time, Erik joked. Raoul's grin widened.
From the shadows, Erik watched the expressions on Raoul's face. They would be considered appropriate reactions to the performance on stage, but he could tell that Raoul's mind was somewhere far from the Opera Populaire. Erik frowned. He was probably thinking about his ladylove. Erik did not understand his reaction, but he did not like the idea of Raoul having someone else. Who cared why he felt that way?
To Raoul though, marriage symbolized finally doing those activities. He found himself blushing at the mere thought.
Erik watched the colour on Raoul's face and swore to kill whatever whore the Vicomte had chosen to be his love.
When Raoul decided to leave, he finally discovered why the managers, Carlotta, and Piangi were behaving themselves. All it took were a series of well-placed almost serious accidents for those protests and complaints to be silenced.
We could've just threatened them.
Raoul responded, I don't think that would have been the best course of action.
In Carlotta's case, she was not so much silenced as redirected from Raoul to anyone around her who would listen and even many who would not listen. It would explain the incidents that the managers had mentioned to him when they had visited.
He would have to thank the ghost. Realization dawned on him that now that he would not have to worry about the managers or the singers, he would have the time to find and explore those tunnels. This would be the perfect opportunity.
o.o.o.o
End Chapter
Word count: 9,060
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A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!
I could always write shorter chapters. Like technically I could have broken this up into 3 chapters (3 very short chapter, but 3 nonetheless since I had finished the first part earlier but didn't post because of the other 2/3rds of the chapter). So, shorter wait time or longer chapters? What do you guys want?
Oh and, I'm having a weird punctuation day. So please excuse me if something egregious is done.
Chapter review: I have Raoul masturbating. How great is that? Let's see. A lot happened and now Raoul's going to force another meeting between him and Erik. Oh, and imaginaryfriend!Erik plays an important role in this chapter, next chapter too.
Thanks to you awesome reviewers!
Akaiba – unfortunately Raoul will have to wait another day to find out.
Sakurafox666 – next chapter will have their meeting; Raoul just has a mental block traumatized by his parents' deaths.
PuppetofDreams – I guess we jinxed the updating madness I was in.
whatevergirl – thanks for your review.
xdark.flowerx – I totally like Philippe better in this story. It was so bad writing him as a villain in the other story.
Chibi-Kaz – earlier update, but maybe I'll have a b-day present for you.