Of Masks And Roses

Feelings

Erik stared for a moment as Scarlet laid there, unconscious in his arms. He watched as her hand fell from his cheek and finally rested softly against his chest, her fingers curled slightly, and Erik couldn't help but hold his breath at her touch. Slowly he took a shaking hand and lifted her's of his chest, but he found that he couldn't let go of it. He was breathless and dumbstruck as he nervously held her arm in his hand; not exactly knowing what to do, eyes darting from her hand to her face. Her hand had touched him, touched his face. And she had smiled. At him, of all things.

It was then upon closer inspection that he realized that her arms were covered in goosebumps and that her lips were turning blue.

"S-She's cold," Erik muttered to himself. He looked around for a second and when he spied the room that the swan bed he made for Christine was, he gently lifted Scarlet up in his arms and swiftly carried her into the room. As carefully as he could, he gently laid her down on the silky sheets and covered her with as many blankets as he could find nearby.

When he was finished, he stood aside and stared at her sleeping form in worry. His scarred cheek burned with warmth from her touch, and his fingers trembled when he grazed them over his burning cheek. It was the kindness in her eyes that kept her from leaving his mind. She had seen him, truely for what he was twice now, and she did not recoil. Instead she had smiled at him, and had touched his deformation, and had thanked him. In his entire life, no one had ever touched his face, no one had dared to. Not even Christine, who had looked at Erik in horror once he was revealed to her. But Scarlet...

Then with a sudden and firm look, he quickly dropped his hand from his face, swiftly leaving the room.

"Oh, stop it, Erik," he told himself as he walked over to a lone statue resting upon a desk. Upon its face was a half-porcelain mask. As quickly as he could, he swiped it from the statue's face and placed it on his own, since his last mask was currently sitting at the bottom of the deep end of the lake.

"She was just delusional from... the lack of oxygen," he reasoned, "No one in their right mind would ever look upon this face and smile. These feelings that you are feeling," he said to himself firmly; slowly walking over to the organ, "They don't mean anything. It's Christine that you love. Christine."

But he stared at the keys of his organ instead of sitting and playing. Slowly he turned around, spying the little, red, music box resting on the cold stone floor. His legs felt like jelly as he walked over to the small contraption. Picking it up, he then walked into the room where Scarlet laid. He looked down at the music box, then back at Scarlet.

Erik softly smiled, tossing the device back in forth in his hands, and then stuffing it in his pocket for safe keeping.

Looking to his left, he spied a yellow rose within a vase. Without another thought, he reached over and plucked the rose from the vase, lifting it and taking a whiff. He sighed, slowly and quietly walked over to the swan bed and laid the music box next to Scarlet's head and placed the rose on a small bedside table. Reaching into a nearby drawer, he took out a black ribbon and tied it carefully around the rose's stem.

Looking over at Scarlet, he reached ever so slowly to her face, brushing a strand of cold and wet hair from her forehead and set the rose next to her.

"You're welcome, Scarlet."

XxX

I groaned and rolled over, not exactly excited that I was waking up. I felt hot, yet at the same time I also felt cold. No wait, hot. Wait! Cold!

"Uhg, hot flashes." I moaned, rolling back over and snuggling back into the mountain of blankets with a sigh.

"You're awake, I can see."

My eyes snapped open at hearing the voice, quickly noticing that I wasn't in my own bed, but in the swan bed in Erik's Lair. I turned onto my back, furiously blinking and rubbing my eyes.

"Awake from what?" I mumbled, putting my arm over my eyes to block out the light.

"Awake from falling into the lake and almost drowning. You've been asleep for almost twenty four hours with a slight fever, I'm afraid. The lakewater is dreadfully cold."

"Well, fuck the lake, then." I mumbled back at Erik.

He chuckled slightly, "You still have a fever and you're obviously delusional from it, mademoiselle."

"You know it." I smiled, taking my arm away from my face and looking up at Erik, pointing at him, "I'm absolutely bonkers. Bananas, even."

He grinned back at me and shook his head, "Well, then, I suggest you drink lots of liquids, and we should start heading back up to the Opera House. I fear that some may have been missing you."

"Aww, I feel so loved." I cooed as I sat up, looking around.

"You should also get plenty of rest. Rehearsal for the play will be hard for you, but with some rest I believe-"

"Oh I'm not going to help with this play," I said, cutting him off.

He stared at me for a moment, looking extremely dumbstruck. It almost made me laugh, the way his eyebrows furrowed and his head tilted in confusion.

"W-W-What do-do you-" he stammered.

I shrugged, scratching my hair, "Oh, the managers wanted me to have time off for some reason. I can't really remember why, but I'm cool with it I guess."

"But- b-but I-"

"Erik it's fine. I'm fine with it. I mean, I wasn't at first but with this I'll be able to look around Paris! Is the Eiffel Tower a thing yet?" I asked, "I want to see the hidden room."

"Are you talking about a building?" Erik asked, crossing his arms.

"It's this freakin-... metal tower thing and it looks like a warped 'A', most Parisians hate it, they say it's the Peni-" I blinked, shaking my head, "Never mind! Just ignore me. I never said anything! Blah blah blah!"

Erik huffed, "Well, you should get plenty of rest, you definitely need it. That tour of Paris will have to wait."

I groaned and laid back down, "But I wanted to see the Pyramid!" I whined, "With the Mona Lisa and... I'm not sure if the Raft of the Medusa is there but if it is I want to see it."

"What pyramid?" Erik asked, standing over me, "You are not making sense, mademoiselle."

"Nothing! Never mind!"

Erik shook his head, then reached a hand out to me, "Come on, let's get you upstairs before you get another high fever."

I sighed, "Yeah, alright." I nodded, placing my hand in his.

"Don't forget your music box."

"My what?" I asked, looking up at him in confusion.

"That." he said, pointing at my MP3 player that was lying next to me.

"Ah, right." I smiled, grabbing it and holding it to my chest, eyes glancing over a simple yellow rose that sat nearby.

"Well then, we better get going." he smiled, helping me out of the bed and out of the room.