phantom of the opera oneshots, originally published on AO3, FFN, and Tumblr (under the same username!)
all of my phantom oneshots will now be published here instead of in my oneshots book :)
cover by BrendaDaaeDestler!
Nadir knocked softly on the door to the small Parisian flat, sighing and shifting the weight of what he held in his arms a bit. I'm getting too old for this, he thought to himself. To be going out running his errands. Sure, this one was riskier than others, but he's an adult, he can go out to buy his own tea or whatever it may be, I'm quite sure that I don't have to-
His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened just a crack—never more than that—so that his friend could glance at him before opening the door wider to let him in.
"Thank you," he said, quickly stepping into the house. "Did you manage to keep yourself busy while I was gone?"
"I'm quite capable of occupying myself, Daroga," Erik replied as he glanced outside for a brief moment, then shut the door and locked all three of the locks he had installed before he turned back to his friend. He smiled a bit then, setting his sights on what Nadir was holding. "You got it."
"I did, yes," Nadir nodded, holding out the music box with the monkey figuring on top of it out to his friend as he walked over. "It seemed the Vicomte was going to get his hands on it, but he had already purchased a few items and didn't mean giving this one up."
Erik nodded and sat down in the armchair beside the small sofa his friend was sitting on. Not that he had any other options; Nadir was always a bit sad to see the state of the dingy apartment Erik had to live in, especially knowing how much pride he took in his appearances so that he could detract from the deformed side of his face. It was a stark change even from his dwelling beneath the Opera House, which had been oddly charming in its own way.
"Well, Christine would have recognized it. I can imagine that's why he wanted it; another memory of her and all," Erik said softly, smiling a bit as he wound up the music box and listened to the quiet melody it began to play, watched as the monkey began to play its cymbals. "It still works, goodness."
"Given that you built it, I can't say I'm surprised," Nadir said with a quiet laugh, watching as Erik gently fiddled with the vest and fur of the figurine. "Are you pleased to have it back?"
"I am, yes. Thank you for going, Nadir," his friend replied, the fond smile still on his face as the music came to an end. "It was my company when you weren't around...and Christine was always fond of it. A memory of better times, if you will. I'll take anything I can get my hands on to remember that...to remember her."
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