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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 11:53:41 GMT -5
*Erik flinched under Christian's touch, hating himself for his unmanly display.*
"You were right to run," *he said harshly.* "Now that you know Erik's true form, your disgust goes without saying. No one could love this face! She never could... no matter what she said. You are certainly no different. Your Phantomess... you'd have run from her, as you did from me--as she did from me. I expected there are a thousand of you, and a thousand of me, and all outcomes are exactly the same."
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 11:59:18 GMT -5
"I wasn't disgusted, only startled. I didn't mean to upset you. I would never hurt anyone on purpose."
*True, he had been afraid, but it had melted away when the face had gone. One could only be startled by such a thing appearing suddenly*
"Please...how can I make it up to you?"
*There was no guile, only genuine feeling*
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 12:07:08 GMT -5
*Erik blinked.*
"You wish this only because Erik no longer wears that face, do you not? Should it remain before your eyes, you would not be looking at him at all."
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 12:10:56 GMT -5
*Christian shook his head*
"Oh, no, sir. It is startling, but it would not be your fault, right? I could not blame you for something beyond your control."
*Christian was quite confident that the he wouldn't let the frightening skull face influence how he'd react to Erik*
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 12:23:04 GMT -5
*Erik stared at him. The boy had to be lying! He perversely wished the unpleasant face back, if only to prove his point.
Because the boy's horror would hurt less than the knowledge that Christine hadn't loved him at all, and that his face had had nothing to do with it. It was his only shred of hope--that the face mattered.*
"That is... very judicious of you," *he allowed.* "But come now; surely, if your Phantomess looked... well, imagine she looked something like that face you saw. Would you be content to remain with her, underground?"
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 12:30:22 GMT -5
*Would he?
Christian considered it carefully. What if he saw what was behind her mask, and it was that face that Erik so briefly had? If she offered him a life here, would he take it knowing how she looked?
He searched through his heart before answering Erik, meeting the other man's eyes*
"I would give the benefit of the doubt. I know it would be...hard, yes, because it is frightening. But I would try, I would do everything I could, because it should not matter at all. It should not.
For horrifying it may be, but surely no monster could sing or speak so beautifully."
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 12:56:58 GMT -5
*Almost not knowing it, Erik reached out and grazed the side of Christian's face with his fingertips.*
"And do you... care for her?" *he asked, his rich voice husky with the need to know the answer.*
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 13:03:32 GMT -5
*Erik's touch created goosebumps, and Christian had to catch his breath for a moment.*
That was...odd?
*He didn't know what to think about that particular feeling, but he didn't linger on it--he could see how much Erik seemed to want the answer.*
"I love my Angel of Music, monsieur. That voice...makes my heart soar."
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 13:12:32 GMT -5
*He felt tears prick his eyes again. She had loved him.... loved him when he was only a voice, and she could still imagine things going on as they ever had. At a remove; she separated from him by a mirror, he from her by the heights of Heaven.*
"But if she were more than a voice, my boy... If she was a woman, flesh and blood, who had... made mistakes in life. Could that love ever continue? Could you... stay with her?"
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 13:19:47 GMT -5
*The odd events that came before his awakening here came back to him, and his gaze grew distant as his mind went back over it*
"I would like to know that she is not just in my head. That I didn't dream what...what happened, before I fell asleep down here."
*He focused back on Erik again*
"Whatever mistakes she might have made, are mistakes. We make them to learn from them, don't we?"
*Christian suddenly realized that those were the same exact words his mother had once told him*
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 13:42:01 GMT -5
"Indeed," *Erik said gravely, his eyes boring into Christian's. He sighed heavily.* "Erik hopes you find her again, to put that faith to the test."
*Erik had made mistakes in the past. He'd trusted Christine to see past his face. He'd trusted her to understand. But what woman had ever understood him? There was Vianne... but she no longer trusted him. And who could he turn to but Nadir, or Death? Men, both.*
"You did not dream it," *he said.* "It was real, but you woke here. With me."
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 13:47:31 GMT -5
"I hope I find her again, too. But at least I found someone who is kind to me."
Like her.
*Christian studied Erik for a moment, focusing mostly on his eyes.*
"I know who you are." He said softly, awe in his voice. "You're...you are her, only changed."
*Christian suddenly didn't know what to say anymore, and instead glanced at his hands*
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 14:03:05 GMT -5
*Erik couldn't quell the spark of hope that lept into life inside him. That light of recognition directed towards him; it was the only thing worth living for.*
"Yes," *he breathed.* "Yes, Erik is she, only... And you are she, my love!"
*And he did not run, he did not turn away, he wasn't marrying the vicomte--and how did that work, exactly? Erik feared to move or breath, lest he disturb this delicate balance.*
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Post by Christian Daaé on Sept 10, 2007 14:08:30 GMT -5
*That's when it connected.*
"Christine, the name you called me--that is me. There is a woman version of me?"
*It was an interesting thought, that he had a female twin of sorts. How alike were they? He began to speak excitedly*
"So, Monsieur Giry is...Madame Giry! And the managers...oh, and Buquet, and the Vicomtess, and Sig...nora...Giudicelli!"
*He clapped a hand over his mouth to stop the flow of words*
"Forgive me, I get excited about silly things."
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Post by Erik on Sept 10, 2007 14:12:35 GMT -5
*Erik smiled despite himself. How like they were! His darling girl, his living bride!*
"You have been through much," *he said.* "You must be... hungry. Or tired. Let Erik care for you, while you are here. And he, perhaps, can learn how to return you to your proper place and time."
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