The Phantom of the Opera (Cherik X Reader)

Chapter Eleven: I am your father

Gerard went down to see Erik as Phillippe and (Y/N) went to see Choleti and Carlotta about catching Erik. Gerard saw Erik walking around the debris of his home wearing a mask that looked like tears you'd see on a clowns makeup. Everything was a mess and almost in complete darkness. Phillippe was still unsure about (Y/N)'s plan to lure Erik to the surface but she assured him it would work. Little did he know (Y/N)'s secret plan. Back down below, Erik was coughing and wheezing. He was dying. Gerard helped him up and took him to another side of his home. Erik coughed again so Gerard helped him sit on a discarded wooden horse he knocked over.

"I'll get you some water," Erik waved his hand telling him no.

Erik was a mess, figuratively and literally.

"Thank you," Erik said as Gerard sat down, "for everything you've done for me. All in all wasn't that bad. Being born, I mean. Because I heard music and I heard (Y/N)."

"She didn't mean to hurt you," Gerard told him.

"I know that. She just asked a bit too much of me, that's all. It's not her fault. Thought she loved me."

"She does."

Erik shook his head, "she did. Only for a moment. Still, a moment such as that is worth living for. Wouldn't you say? I do regret one thing though."

"What's that?"

"Not having killed the Comte de Chagny."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't love music and how could he possibly love her?"

"He loves her."

Erik coughed again, "if you say so."

"She was just unprepared for you."

"She was unprepared for ugliness and for that brief, sweet moment, so was I," Erik took off his mask to reveal his white one, "I'm glad she saw, a fitting end to my illusions. Perhaps you'd like to see my face."

Erik went to take his second mask off, "I've seen your face."

"When?"

"When you were a child. One day, you saw a reflection in the water. At first, you thought it was a sea monster and then you realised it was you yourself. Hm, it was not an easy day."

"Did you know my mother well?"

"Yes."

"Did you love her?"

"Yes, I loved her."

"And she let you see my face?"

"She thought your face was absolutely and flawlessly beautiful."

"What did you think of it?"

"Well, I... I thought it could be better," Erik gave a slight eye roll but not properly, "I'm your father."

Erik looked at Gerard and nodded, "I wondered when you'd say," he looked at Erik a little surprised but Erik gave a hummed laugh, "see, my eyes are the only part of my face I can look at in a mirror without wishing to break the glass. But they're not her eyes, they're yours."

Erik started coughing and wheezing again and Gerard helped him lay down a little but still sort of upright. Gerard pat his back hoping to help end his coughing fit for a moment or two.

"Father," Erik said.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for what I put you through."

"Well, actually there never was a day I'd given any of it up for anything," Gerard confessed.

"Oh, I like that story. Tell me another fairy tale," Erik said sarcastically.

"It's true."

"Why?"

"Because you have your mother's soul."

Erik sighed, "has she left?"

"Who?"

"(Y/N)."

"Yes, I think so."

"I would've loved to have heard her voice again. Just once... remarkable thing... you know, twice in my life I have been touched by an angel. Surely not many men are as fortunate as that. Bet she will sing again. How could she not? And when she does, others besides me will know what beauty of sounds God can make when he chooses. What are they singing tonight?"

"I'm not sure. Umm... Don Giovanni, I think."

Erik sighed, "there's a piece of work. Perhaps I'll listen for a bit. You should go."

"I don't mind staying."

Erik shook his head, "privacy is best for this."

Knowing what he meant, Gerard kissed the side of his mask and went to leave but Erik stopped him, "come back in... a day."

Staying strong, Gerard nodded and got up, ready to leave his son to die alone.

"I'd thought about being buried in my Lagoon. Then I thought, 'oh, no, I'll float up and scare some poor child downstream'."

"I will bury you," Gerard told him.

"And make it deep and no markings. There will be an inevitable curiosity," Erik told him.

"No one will find you."

"It's my face I'm concerned about."

"You will not end up on display."

Gerard went to leave and got almost halfway up the stairs when Erik had one last request, "tell her that I'm sorry that I frightened her."

Gerard left Erik alone. The night came quickly and the opera was going to begin. But it wasn't Don Giovanni, it was Faust. (Y/N)'s request. But she wasn't going to perform. She had to see Erik. Walking around unnoticed, she saw Gerard walkout from the same wall she escaped from. While it was still open, she snuck through and made her way to Erik's home. When she arrived, she saw Erik sprawled out on the floor, waiting for his fate to come. (Y/N) walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, making him look up at her shock.

"(Y/N)?! What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to see you, I hated the thought of you being alone," (Y/N) told him.

"You shouldn't be here," Erik said coughing and trying to get up but struggled, "I was told you were gone."

(Y/N) helped him sit up, "I've been here the whole time. I asked Monsieur Choleti if I could perform Faust again but he has another plan. If I sang and you came up to watch, the police would kill you." 

"Bit too late for that."

"What? Oh, no! What have I done? I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have scared you like that."

(Y/N) then hugged him, apologising for leaving him and reacting terribly to his face. Erik wasn't sure what to do so he did the first thing he thought of; he hugged back. After a while, (Y/N) looked at him and took his mask off to reveal his face. This time, she didn't faint. Instead, she put her hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, Erik," (Y/N) said, "I don't care about how you look anymore, you look beautiful to me."

Erik was speechless. What could he say to this? He thought she loved Phillippe more than him. Who wouldn't? Phillippe was handsome, young, rich and well known. Erik, he was hideous, alone, confused.

"(Y/N), I love you too. But what about the Comte de Chagny? Doesn't he love you?"

"Yes, but I don't feel the same way for him. You. You have done more for me than he has."

(Y/N) then kissed him on the lips and he kissed back, smiling into it. He was now happier than ever.

(A/N: I changed the ending. You can't stop me. He deserved a better ending. See you tomorrow, I'm tired)