Protect Her, At All Costs. (Phantom of the Opera AU)

Unmasked

Christine awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She hopped downstairs and expected to see Erik, but he wasn't there. Only Nadir was.

"Huh, we're up earlier than Erik? That's weird." She said.

Nadir shrugged and continued reading the newspaper he'd gotten from the store.

"You went out to buy a newspaper? That's like a two hour round trip." Christine said.

"I had nothing better to do." Nadir said.

"Whatever. Do you want eggs?" She asked.

Nadir nodded and thanked her. Christine cracked some eggs into a pan and made gooey scrambled eggs. She put some on a plate for Nadir, herself and then she made a plate for Erik. She put the plate on a tray along with toast and a glass of milk.

"I'm gonna bring this to him." She said.

"I don't think that's very wise." Nadir said, not looking up from his paper.

"Why not?"

"He doesn't sleep with his mask on."

"Well duh, I would assume he doesn't."

"Don't go into his room without knocking. If he doesn't answer, just come back." Nadir said.

Christine raised an eyebrow but agreed.

"Which one's his room?"

"I believe it's the third door on the left upstairs."

Christine nodded and started her journey to Erik's room. She found the one Nadir had told her to go to. She knocked. No answer.

"Erik, I brought you food."

No answer.

She frowned. How bad could it be if she just went in and set it on the nightstand? Christine quietly crept into the room and set the tray on the bedside table.

See, that's easy enough.

Some light shone from the hallway onto Erik's face. Christine stepped closer and studied his features. His cheek was boney and sunken in. Flesh was torn. His lip was slightly bigger on this side. It was deformed, but it really wasn't that bad to Christine. This is what all of the fuss was about? It's just a face. She stepped closer without meaning to and she accidentally stepped on one of Ayesha's toys. She cringed at the noisy squeaking. Erik stirred slightly. She ran out of the room after quietly closing the door. She walked back downstairs.

"Oh good, is he awake?" Nadir asked.

"Nope."

"But- the tray. Christine, you didn't-"

"Yeah."

"Allah. Erik is going to be humiliated."

"Why? It's just a face. It really isn't that bad."

Erik woke up to the smell of eggs and fresh toast with strawberry jam on it. At first he took in the smell but then he abruptly sat up. Who'd brought him the food? He threw his mask on and walked downstairs, not worrying about the rest of his appearance. When he got into the room Nadir laughed out loud and Christine's eyes went wide as she giggled. Erik's dress shirt had three buttons that were unbuttoned, which exposed his muscular chest. One pant leg was down and the other was rolled up. His hair was slightly messy and he was only wearing one sock. Christine stifled a giggle.

"Who brought me the eggs?" He asked.

"Oh, I did. Do you like them?" Christine asked.

Nadir rubbed his mouth and left his hand there. He didn't know what was going to happen. Erik was frozen in place. He opened his mouth but closed it in fear of a sob escaping.

"What? Do you not like eggs?" Christine took a bite from her own plate.

"I think I did pretty well. I can make you more. Do you not like scrambled? Are you more of a sunny side up-"

"It's not the eggs, Christine." Nadir said.

She furrowed her brows and shook her head in confusion.

"Oh." She said.

Erik fell to his knees and began to weep. Nadir clenched his jaw. He'd never seen Erik cry. In the seven years he'd known Erik, he had never seen him cry.

"Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" Christine asked. She came to her knees and looked at Erik.

Nadir thought it was best if he left the room.

"Christine, I'm so sor-"
"No, don't be sorry. I'm sorry, I went into your room without permission."

"I'm sorry you had to see-"

"No, no. Don't apologize for your appearance. You can't control it. It's really not bad, Erik, trust me."

"I'm hideous. I'm so sorry." His body shook as he sobbed into his hands.

"Hey, no no no. Look at me," Christine moved his hands away and put her own on his face so they made eye contact. "Don't ever say that about yourself. Do you hear me? You are beautiful. I love your face." She said, smiling.

"I'm horrifying. How are you not scared of me?" 

Christine wrapped his arms around him and rocked back and forth. "You aren't horrifying. I don't ever want to hear you talking about yourself that way. Do you understand me?" She asked in her most menacing tone.

Erik silently nodded. Christine moved his chin so they made eye contact again. She reached for his mask but Erik moved her hand away.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Taking off your mask." She reached for it again.

"No." He said moving her hand away.

"Erik, please trust me." Christine said.

Erik hesitantly nodded. Christine took off his mask and smiled. Tears rolled down his face. His beautiful face.

"Look, much better." She said, cupping her hands to either side of his face.

Erik continued weeping and Christine held him in her arms. He eventually pushed away.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"Because your face is adorable and it is nothing to be ashamed of." Christine smiled and did something Erik never, ever would have thought she would. She kissed his cheek. His deformed, horrific, disgusting cheek. Erik stopped. He began to weep again.

Christine cradled this very tall, very muscular man in her frail arms.

"Erik, I want you to do something for me."

He nodded and looked up at her.

"You're going to go upstairs, get the tray I brought for you, come back down, and we're going to eat breakfast together."

Erik nodded and reached for his mask. Christine grabbed it before he could. He had a shocked look on his face.

"Go on." Christine said, pointing to the stairs.

Erik stood and walked like a child who was just scolded up the stairs and then back down with the breakfast tray. He sat at the table with Christine. She finished her plate of eggs and Erik hadn't touched his.

"Are they really that bad?" She asked.

"No, of course not. I'm just not used to eating." Erik replied.

"Well get used to it because you are way too skinny. I'm gonna fatten you up. Eat your damn eggs, I worked very hard." She said.

He shoved a fork full of eggs into his mouth and swallowed them.

"They're pretty good." He said in a meek voice.

"Oh, they're pretty good?" Christine mocked his tone.

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

They continued to mock one another and laugh.

"Christine?"

"Mhm?"

"Thank you."

Christine smiled and put her hand on his cheek.