At the Opera House

Chapter 10: Waiting

The theater was locked.

Christine cursed herself, standing in front of the wooden door. She was far too used to it being open and ready for practice. She shivered a little, clutching the package close to her chest. What to do now? She supposed she could go home, but the dark box that was her apartment felt unappealing to return to.

Perhaps she could return to the Giry's, it would be a humble pie to bite, but she was used to that. They could laugh about the dress and eat the dinner they had prepared. Christine sighed at the thought, Madame Giry was an excellent cook.

"Christine?"

The voice sounded rather shocked, and Christine felt a bit of childish pride that this time she had surprised him, rather than the other way round.

She turned to face Erik. He wore a hat with a wide brim that blocked much of his face, the lower half was covered by a thick black woolen scarf. A thin black coat warmed his chest and his usual cloak blew gently in the wind. "What on earth are you doing outside in this temperature?" He asked. Quickly he stepped past her and opened the locked door with ease. "Come inside." He commanded. "Before you catch your death of a cold."

"Thank you." Christine said stiffly, she stepped inside the slightly warmer building and blinked at the sudden darkness when Erik closed the door. Within moments he lit a candle, letting a soft glow fill the room.

It was a hallway, doorways littered the hall, and the darkness grew ever stronger the farther away from the comforting light of the candle. The end of the hallway was hidden in a curtain of black.

"What are you doing here?" He set the candle down on a nearby table and slipped off his gloves, revealing his long, angular hands. "This is hardly the time for a lesson."

"I came to return this." Christine thrust out the large package towards him, he stared down at it, but didn't take it. "I'm sorry, I can't accept it. I know you sent it!" She added, giving him a stern look. "It's a beautiful gown but I simply cannot accept something so expensive."

Erik tore his scarf from his neck, revealing a frown, he dropped the scarf on the floor. "And why is my gift so rudely returned?" He asked flatly.

"I have no use for it!" Christine said desperately. "I attend no balls, no social calls that would require a dress like this. I don't want to be any more indebted to you than I have to be."

"That gown was a gift. It is not meant to be repaid." The coldness in his voice made her flinch.

Christine pressed her lips together, gave a small huff and plowed on. "Well were am I going to wear it? When I will I use it?" She demanded.

"I assumed you would wear it to the Giry's." He smoothly began unbuttoning his coat, revealing a pristine suit beneath it.

"I doesn't seem right to wear something to their dinners that costs more than what I make in a year." Christine snapped, once again she tried to shove that package back to Erik.

"That could be changed." He said, carefully pushing it back to her person.

"I wasn't asking for a raise!" She shouted, angry at how calm he seemed. "I'm doing just fine on what I've got thank you."

"And yet you struggle to clothe yourself." He snapped back, he tore off his hat and tossed it aside.

"Well normally I don't have wedding dresses to pay for." Christine said angrily. "Really, when I complain about things getting tight, it's not a call for help. If I need help I'll ask for it."

"It was not meant to help you." He said, pointing a long pointer finger at her. "It was a gift."

"One I have no use for." Christine said cruelly. Then bit her tongue, she threw the package on the floor, hearing the paper crinkle with the thump. For a moment she felt ready to scream every insult she knew, then she took a heavy breath. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I'm not angry at you, truly. And it's a beautiful gown, but I won't use ever it."

Erik didn't answer, instead he leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh.

"Erik!" Christine said, wishing he'd just look at her. "You don't need to give me things."

"I don't need to give you lessons either." He said, still examining the wooden roof. "I wanted you to have something fine to wear."

"Erik." Christine gave a small smile and stepped up next to him, she reached up and grasped his angular chin. She directed it to look at her, there she looked in the black sockets and suddenly wished she could see his eyes. "I don't need fine things." She murmured.

His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. His mask was more revealing that usual, Christine noted, it curved back sooner that his others, showing the beginning of a hallowed deformity on his rough pale skin. Slowly she released his chin and traced the beginnings of his deformity with her thumb.

"You deserve them." He murmured suddenly, then swallowed hastily.

Christine gave a small smile, then reach up with her hand and pulled him down by the lapels of his coat to meet his thin, nonexistent lips to hers.

He didn't respond, not really, but she had expected that. Still she pressed bravely onwards, cupping his masked cheek with one hand, the other found the back of his neck and held him there, his lips against hers.

It was a short moment, it hardly lasted more than a few moments, but in it Christine felt no small amount of triumph. How long had she wished to do this? It felt like she had forever.

She pulled away after a moment, grinning like an idiot. Erik's face stayed exactly where she had directed it, his lips trembled.

"Christine." He croaked, a hand snaked up between her arms to touch his lips. "You-" his voice gave out, whatever he'd had to say faded like the darkness in the hall.

"Your a very silly man sometimes." Christine murmured, then strained her neck up to kiss him again.

This time she angled her head a bit to deepen it. Erik, to her joy, began to return it. His arms wound their way round her waist, pulling her closer to him, sending shivers up her spine.

It felt good, kissing him, it felt right.

Then it was all wrong.

All at once, he pushed her away, tearing her hands from his head and throwing them to their owner. Then he snatched his belongings with an inhuman speed, and ran, tumbling and sprinting farther into the dark of the Opera House.

Christine stood, she'd expected surprise but blatant refusal had been- Her hand touched her waist, where his arms had been just seconds before. She jerked it away, touched her cheeks where new tears were brimming.

"Stupid." She whispered. "Stupid. Sho-sh-should have known. Oh why-" She buried her hands into her face, allowing all the tears that wanted to come to flow. Her shoulders began to shake, and she desperately searched for her handkerchief, once she found she began wiping her streaming tears again.

"Oh why?" She moaned. "It all could have been all right, you were cooling down, but then you have to kiss him. Scaring him off like that, you know better."

She should have known, Erik was not used to such affection, she should have known.

Perhaps he was afraid, he had never been loved before, Christine was sure. Perhaps he was frightened of the path she had taken him down.

Christine wiped her tears absently, she would speak to him at the ball, she decided. Then, perhaps they could sort things out.

But now, there was nothing but the hole in her heart and the tears in her eyes. It hurt, she admitted to herself, it hurt to be rejected like that.

Not knowing quite what to do, she scooped up the brown package.

"You're more trouble than your worth." She informed it, and blew out the candle that still shone brightly. The darkness surrounded her then. Ignoring her momentary panic, Christine opened the door and closed it securely behind her. Then she turned to the cold snowy street and began to make her way to the Giry's again.

After all, there was a nice dinner to be found there, and friendly faces. After dinner they would sing Christmas carols, then they would sit and talk, eating the odd candy or two until long after midnight.

That was what she would do. Christine decided while she walked down the cold street. That was what she would do while she waited.