Say You'll Share With Me | Phantom Oneshots

POTOber Day 20 - Order Your Fine Horses

yet another piece written together with BrendaDaaeDestler while we were on the phone and basically worked this dialogue out word-for-word 😂

day 20 prompts: Caesar/the Pegasus/carriage rides in the Bois de Boulogne 

~ 

Nadir checked his pocket watch for what seemed like the fifth time, then sighed and glanced towards the front door of his friend's home. He had dropped in to see Erik without announcing himself first, which was out of the norm for him, so he supposed he couldn't be completely shocked when he found that Erik wasn't home.

Then again, why would he have expected Erik to not be home? The "Opera Ghost" hours, as he affectionately called them, were over the day, and Erik didn't have much of a social life, so where else could he possibly be?

Not able to fathom a guess and being well aware that he had other things to do with his time before he went home for dinner, Nadir got to his feet with another sigh, picking up his hat and walking cane and then made his way towards the door. He would simply have to check in on his friend some other time, he thought, stepping out the front door, only to freeze and drop his hat when he set his eyes on Erik...riding a white horse.

When his friend noticed him a moment later, he instantly froze in place. He stared back at his friend in silence for a moment before he looked to the horse beneath him and whispered: "Turn around, Caesar, quick. Go."

"Erik," Nadir said, raising his eyebrows expectantly when his friend turned around. "What...what are you doing?"

"Um...sitting," Erik replied slowly before flashing an awkward smile at his friend.

"On a horse."

"A horse? Where?" Erik frowned, glancing around the room.

Nadir sighed and crossed his arms, smirking slightly when the horse whinnied and shook its head. "I think I have some idea of where," he said.

"Do you?" Erik asked, still frowning at his friend.

"Please stop playing dumb and tell me why on earth you have a horse," Nadir replied.

"I think you might be seeing things, Daroga. There's no horse." Erik shrugged and looked down at his hands, quickly adjusting his black leather gloves.

"Erik, why can we never have normal interactions?" Nadir asked with a bit of a laugh. "There always has to be something strange going on, and now you've smuggled a horse into the fifth basement. Please tell me why before I make a bigger deal about this."

"I...have my reasons," Erik replied slowly, only to frown when the horse began to turn around. "Now you listen to me. Where was this five seconds ago?!"

"Clearly, he knew that you deserved to get in trouble for whatever it is that you've done," Nadir said. "What would your 'reasons' be for needing to have a horse with you down here? Where do you plan on riding it? Up and down the bank of the lake?"

"Yes, I thought it would be a nice new hobby," Erik said with a nod. "You told me to get more exercise, did you not?"

Nadir rolled his eyes, exhausted by his friend's habit of twisting his words. "Not like this," he replied. "And you've never wanted an active lifestyle, I don't believe you would start by doing this."

"Well, now you know that I'm capable of taking your advice," Erik replied, shrugging slightly. "Now, what are you doing in my house?"

"I had dropped by with the intention of just having a cup of tea and a nice chat, but you never fail to make things impossible," Nadir sighed. "You do know that, right? You're impossible."

"How could I forget, Daroga? You won't let me," Erik replied, laughing quietly. "Don't worry about my intentions with the horse. I promise, they're completely honourable."

"Erik, I worry about everything that you do because it almost never ends well. What could you possibly need a horse for, of all things?"

Looking down, Erik fidgeted with the hems of his gloves for a moment, seeming to consider this question, before he looked back at his friend. "I have certain intentions with a lady, and that's all you need to know."

Nadir raised a brow and smiled slightly. "A lady? And you didn't mention it? I would have thought you'd be announcing it from the rooftops when you found a lady friend."

"You see, if you would have left the word 'friend' out of your sentence, you would have been more correct," Erik replied with a bit of a laugh. "I've found a lady and would like to make her my friend...or more."

"And perhaps you'll succeed, my friend," Nadir said. "But...why bring the horse down here if you intend to use it in your grand plan to win this lady over? I take it you won't be doing that from here."

"Well, I need a place to hide him until he becomes useful," Erik said with a small shrug. "He's sort of...borrowed...and the owner doesn't know he's missing yet."

"Wh- Erik!"