Okay. I'm back. I have to say, I really like the next two chapters. It took me a while to write these but I'm proud of them. I'm also going to up the rating from this chapter on because it's starting to heat up a bit. Not yet in this chapter but it won't be long now. Until then, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.

Greetings Petit Erik

Louise POV

Until the evening we sat in front of the TV and watched 'Sissi'. After the second part, we actually wanted to take a little break and clear the table. We were just too lazy to get up and I didn't want to let Erik go. It was just so comfortable with him. But eventually I did let him get up. Together we cleared the table, which still had our coffee dishes piled on it. While I was in the kitchen piling everything into the dishwasher, Erik was in the bathroom. Apparently the 3 cups of coffee were taking their toll. It was inexplicable to me anyway how someone could drink so much coffee in one sitting. But if that meant he could stay awake longer tonight, I had no objection.

I squeaked when I suddenly felt someone put 2 arms around me. Erik's deformed face appeared next to me.

"Hello, angel," he whispered in my ear and kissed me on the cheek.

"Hello, Erik," I replied and kissed him on his cheek as well.

In response, I heard a soft purr from him. I knew that side of his face was more sensitive than the other. I could always tell how happy he was to have his mask off.

"Are you okay?", I asked him.

"Hmm," he hummed next to my ear.

I closed my eyes and relaxed against him.

Suddenly I cried out as Erik lifted me bridal style into his arms. I ducked as we walked through the kitchen and living room doors. Erik sat down on the sofa with me in his arms and grinned at me.

"Are you all right, dear?" he asked me gently.

"Yes, Erik. Everything's fine. I just got a little scared," I reassured him.

"You should stop sneaking up on me like that, my phantom."

He sighed playfully.

"I know what you mean, angel, and I also know that I really need to stop."

"Why?", I asked him in amazement.

"Well," he pressed on a little, "apparently that Phantom of the Opera trait has stuck."

At my questioning look, he continued.

"It seems that even now I like to sneak up on people. Especially often my colleagues are the ones who suffer. One day, when I had suddenly appeared once again without warning and quietly, Meg, Madame's daughter, was terribly frightened. And when she saw my mask, she said: "He's here. The Phantom of the Opera." This has since become my new nickname among my colleagues. The Phantom."

If I sat grinning on Erik's lap halfway through his tale, nothing held me now. Laughing, I collapsed and after a while I heard Erik's rich laughter as well. It sounded wonderful. After we calmed down again, he grinned at me.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked me, still grinning.

I was still laughing lightly.

"It seems you'll never get rid of that image."

At that sentence, Erik laughed, too.

"I'm afraid you might be right about that, angel."

At the end of this conversation, I happily sat on Erik's lap and leaned against him. While I drew circles on his chest, Erik played with my hair. I sighed happily and continued to snuggle up to him. After some time, I felt Erik's hand stop playing in my hair. I looked up and saw that he had fallen asleep. His head was leaning against the back of the sofa and his face looked relaxed and peaceful. I carefully traced his cheek. I couldn't understand how people could be so cruel to him. When I first saw him, it didn't occur to me at all to hate him or to think of him as anything other than a human being.

While Erik slept, I carefully climbed down from his lap and went into the kitchen. I put the rest of the coffee away in the dishwasher and turned it on. By now enough time had passed that I could prepare dinner. I closed the kitchen door and went to the cupboard. There I rummaged out a package of noodles and then went to a smaller cupboard and took out a pot. I filled it with water, put it on the stove and turned it on. While the water started boiling, I cut the sausage. When the water was boiling, I quickly put the pasta in and the sausage in the pan. While the pasta cooked and the sausage sizzled, I stirred the sauce, which fortunately didn't take long. While everything was cooking and sizzling away, I started setting the table. I really hoped Erik would wake up soon. Not that he would sleep through dinner. But I think he would wake up soon after all, or I would have all the pasta to myself.

Erik POV

I was awakened by a wonderful scent that came to my nose. Slowly my eyes began to flutter and I sat up. The first thing I noticed was that Louise was no longer sitting on my lap. And the second thing was that my stomach was growling. To fix that growl, I headed toward the kitchen. As I stood in front of the closed door, I heard my angel humming. I realized it was 'Das Phantom der Oper' from the 2013 German performance. She had shown it to me once and I had to admit , I liked it too. However, before I could react, the door was opened and my angel stepped out. She cried out and held her hand to her chest. At first I thought she was screaming because of me and held my hand to the disfigured half of my face. But she immediately pulled my hand back down.

"Erik!" she exclaimed, holding my hand, "you're awake!"

I nodded.

"It seemed that this little nap left me feeling alert and hungry."

My angel grinned in response.

"Well, that's just as well. Because dinner is ready."

Louise broke away from me, grabbed a pot where I saw it contained noodles, went to the sink and poured off the hot water.

"Can I help you, angel?", I asked her.

"Sure. Could you take the sauce in with you, please?"

With that, she pointed to the small pot. I nodded and grabbed it while Louise ran after me with the pot of pasta.

When we arrived in the living room and set the pots down, we sat down together at the table. I passed out the pasta while Louise was in charge of the sauce.

When everything was on our plates, she pulled me close, kissed me on the lips and said: "Bon appétit, mon ange."

I smiled at her and replied: "Je te souhaite la même chose, ma chérie."

She grinned, kissed me again and we enjoyed our meal. I must say Louise really cooked great. If I had met her earlier, I'm sure we would have shared many meals together. But that was in the past and I was more than happy to be with her now. During the meal, I kept seeing her look over at me and grin. I raised my eyebrow and asked what was wrong.

"Nothing," she said, "I'm just happy with you."

I hummed.

"I'm happy with you too."

She grinned and kissed me on the cheek.

"Want some more?" she asked me suddenly, holding up the pot.

I looked at her with wide eyes.

"If I don't eat something off you?"

She shook her head.

"Nope. There's plenty left."

"Okay, then I'll gladly have some more," I replied with a grin, holding the plate out to her.

My angel filled my plate and her own once more and we ate our fill. When we were done, I felt like I might burst. My angel gently patted my stomach.

"I take it you're full?" she asked with a grin.

"More than you can imagine."

"Very nice. Now, let's clean up and sit behind, shall we?"

"I'd love nothing more," I admitted.

With that, we cleared the dishes, piled them in the dishwasher, and went back into the living room.

"Uh, Louise, angel?", I suddenly stuttered.

"Yes, Erik?" she asked, turning to me.

"I'd like to go change for a minute because this shirt is a little uncomfortable after all. Will you please wait that long to watch the movie for me?"

She nodded.

"Sure thing. I'll just put the DVD in already, if that's okay?"

"Of course. I'll be quick."

With that, I went into the hallway, grabbed my bag, and went into the bathroom to change. I took off my shirt and pants and put on sweatpants and a hoodie. Then I grabbed my bag again and went to my angel. She was lounging on the sofa, relaxed, waiting for me. I dropped down next to her and immediately she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Ready for the last part?" she mumbled into the fabric of my sweater.

"Yes, angel," I replied.

She grabbed the remote, pressed start and snuggled back against me. Thus, we sat together on the couch for almost the remaining 2 hours watching the movie. I could never be happier: I had a decent job, a best friend who often bugged me at will, and the love of my life next to me. I couldn't be happier.

Louise POV

When Erik came back from the bathroom, I had to stifle a laugh. He looked so relaxed in his hoodie and sweatpants. When I saw his socks, I started grinning. They had little cats all over them. But the rest of him was kept dark. He was wearing long gray sweatpants and a black hoodie. He came over to me and sat cross-legged on the sofa and I snuggled up to him. So cozy we sat together and watched the third part of 'Sissi'. It may have been a bit cheesy but I didn't care. With my Erik I would still do that so crazy. And I knew that he knew that too. There was no doubt about it. When the film was 22:00 to end, we sighed up. We were both tired and wanted to go to sleep. I turned off the TV and put the remotes back. Erik looked at me from the sofa and held his hands out to me. I took them, pulled him up, and he stood in front of me.

"You're pretty tall," I said to him, looking up at him with a grin.

"Well, for being so tall, you're a little short. But don't worry, I love you anyway."

After that statement, he looked down at me with a grin.

I returned it and said: "The smallest will be the greatest."

He laughed at this answer and kissed me on the head.

"That's right, my angel."

Suddenly I yawned loudly and Erik looked at me with wide eyes while I grinned.

"I think I'm a little tired", I laughed, "I'm going to go get ready."

"Alright dear," Erik replied as I broke away from him, went to my room and got my sleeping clothes.

Then I went into the bathroom to get ready. About 15 minutes later, I came back and Erik was standing at the door to "relieve" me. He was grinning and I noticed myself blushing. His grin grew and as he walked past me, I pinched his side. He turned abruptly and tried it on me too but I managed to avoid him. "Well wait," he growled, "I'll pay you back later." I just stuck my tongue out at him while he got ready too.

Soon we were cuddled together in bed and I could feel Erik's breath on my hair. I felt so safe and loving with him. Before I was almost asleep, I suddenly felt Erik's hands on my hips. My eyes flew open abruptly. When my phantom noticed this, he dug his fingers into my sides. I squealed and started laughing. Erik kept going, tickling me under my arms and on the soles of my feet. Soon I was just screaming with laughter. Erik grinned as well and I wriggled my legs around trying to shake him off. To prevent that, he sat on my thighs and continued to tickle me. I laughed the whole time and Erik laughed like a little boy too. Never before had I seen him so carefree. But in a moment of his carelessness, I threw him off me, sat on his legs and tickled him out mercilessly as well. Erik wriggled under me and tears ran down his cheeks with laughter.

"Stop, Louise!" he exclaimed between his laughs, "please stop!"

Finally, I stopped as Erik lay gasping in bed. I bent forward and leaned on his chest.

"Are you okay?", I asked him, looking up at him.

"Everything's fine, angel," he replied, kissing me on my lips.

I realized how much passion he was putting into it and responded just as passionately. Soon I found myself underneath him.

He grinned as he spread kisses everywhere. In my face, on my shoulders, my collarbones and everything else he could reach. I felt so beautiful under his kisses. When he finished at my feet, he came back to my face and kissed me thousands and thousands of times. Suddenly I felt a gentle pressure on my abdomen. All of a sudden Erik shot up and looked at me with huge eyes.

"I'm sorry, angel. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to be wanton."

I stroked his deformed cheek and looked at him.

"There is absolutely nothing to forgive, Erik. It's only natural. But if you don't mind, I wouldn't want to do it today because I'm pretty tired."

Erik laughed uproariously, rolled off me and fell face down into the pillow. His whole body was shaking and I could only look at him in amazement. After a few minutes, he turned back to me.

"I'm sorry, my angel," he said still grinning, "I would never blame you. Of course we can wait. We can take as much time as you want."

I smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you, Erik, for being so understanding. I love you."

"I love you too, ange," he replied.

I leaned over and kissed him and whispered in his ear: "But I don't want to wait too much longer."

Erik purred at that sentence and kissed me too before we both fell asleep.