Requiem of Love

In case I didn't mention this before, this the "What If" of the 2004 ALW/Gerard Butler version of the Phantom. Alrighty.
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“Hmmm, maybe I’m not such an idiot after all.” I smiled to myself, as he took my hand and we treaded out of the water. Once we we’re out I started trembling.

“Are you cold my little mermaid?” he asked slyly.

“Yes” I replied, voice shaking.

“Would you be a dear then and bring me a couple of cloths and that bucket of water over there, while I start a fire for us? I don’t think it should be too heavy,” he added.

While I went to fetch the water and cloths I looked over my shoulder and saw him kneeling before the small hearth not too far away from where his bed sat. The fire started to come to life and the glow of the flames truly did make him look like an angel.

“There you go,” I said, handing him the clothes and pitcher.

“Thank you,” he smiled. “We need to get freshened up, the water in the lake isn’t exactly the purest, plus I put chemicals in it now and again to keep it from turning into a swamp down here,” he laughed. (See Erik is so smart, he discovered Chlorine! I just thought that would be fun to put in here, okay back to story) “I would draw you a bath, but I’m afraid that is the last pail of fresh water I have on hand at the moment. I’d have to make several trips to the spring to fill up the tub, and frankly my dear I just haven’t the patience or energy for that tonight.”

I snuggled up next to him as he heated up the bucket of water. To my surprise, he didn’t try to push me away. I watched the flames reflecting off his black “Don Juan” mask, which he still hadn’t removed even after getting it wet. “Aren’t you going to take your mask off? I asked. “No, it’s fine,” he replied quietly, turning his face back towards the fire.

There were only a few occasions that I had seen Erik without a mask of some sort on. Even after all this time, he still made it a point of wearing one when he was around me. He’d say it was to keep me from being distracted, but that was only half true. I think the mask made him feel complete, at least physically. Truth be told, I didn’t find his disfigurement that disturbing, aside from a slight bulge in his right eye, a patch of thinning hair, a few bumps and redness, the right side of his face wasn’t really that bad. (There, that’s to make light of the fact that people keep saying he wasn’t disfigured enough in the ALW movie. Now everyone laugh.) Other than those few flaws he was perfect in everyway. He was tall; broad shouldered, had such nice full lips, a great smile, long thick lashes, soft black hair and possessed eyes the color of emeralds with a touch of sapphires blended in. Even with all that beauty, he still had to hide from the world. We lived in a very superstitious and elitist society and if you were so much as cross-eyed people thought you were some sort of spawn of the Devil. Erik learned this cruel fact at a very early age and there was nothing I could do or say to make up for the pain or insecurity his face had caused him. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t try though.

“Angel, you look like you’re a million miles away.” I heard his voice say.

I quickly snapped out of the deep thought I was in and replied, “I’m right here.”

“What were you thinking just now?” he asked.

“Oh nothing, it’s so silly really. I was just thinking how it looked like you were going to drown me back in the lake.” I lied.

“I’m sorry if I scared you back there Angel. You know I would never hurt you, at least not intentionally,” he said before placing a kiss on my hand.

“I know Erik,” I smiled nervously, wondering what he meant by ‘not intentionally’.

“Come, the water is nice and hot and we really should get cleaned up,” he said, placing the cloths around the bucket and lifting it out of the fire. He then dipped the cloths in the water and wrung them in his strong hands. I watched intently as the water ran down his hands and muscular forearms. He handed me a couple of cloths and told me to freshen up behind the screen of his dressing area where there was soap and other toiletries. I went behind the changing screen and noticed there were piles of costumes, jewelry and props lying on a long chaise.

“I see someone’s been raiding the costume department, haven’t they?!” I shouted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Those we’re a gift from the Costume Fairy!” He yelled back. Erik had such a wonderful sense of humor when he chose to show it.

I quickly shrugged off my wet clothes and began to wash up, when I heard him start singing a lovely Aria. I peeked out from the screen to hear more clearly and my jaw nearly hit the floor. There was Erik, not more than 20 feet away, totally nude with his back to me! I covered my mouth so as not to make a sound. I stopped and stared in wide-eyed wonder as he stood stretched out bathing himself. He looked like a Roman God in all his glory, reminding me of the statue of David, the only nude male I’d ever seen until now. He was lean, yet sculpted with muscles. My eyes traced his form, noticing how his defined back revealed the scars he had from the many whippings he received as a child. I wanted to run up and kiss each and every one of them, however, my gaze continued to follow the suds rolling down his flesh, streaming down his buttocks, the backs of his thighs and calves. I watched hypnotized as he ran the cloth all along his body. “Oh to be that cloth,” I thought to myself. Then he started to turn around. I quickly jumped back behind the screen, hoping he was unaware of what I had been up to. He asked me to warn him before coming out and continued singing. I agreed and let out a sigh of relief. I finished washing up and getting dressed, while the images I’d just seen played in my head over and over.

“Erik, may I come out now?” I asked, feeling a bit guilty.

“Yes angel, I’m decent. You may come out,” he replied.

As I stepped out, there he stood with his back to me once again, in a long black silk robe. He had just finished putting the black mask back on and was securing it. He turned around abruptly making his robe swirl around him, revealing the matching silk pants underneath. When he first saw me it looked as if he wanted to say something, but stood silently gazing. I looked down at myself and noticed that the pretty white lace robe and camisole I’d chosen to wear were a size or two too large for me, causing them to slip loosely around my shoulders and hang low in the front. I tried to make adjustments as best I could.

“I know it’s a little big, but it was the prettiest one,” I said.

Clearing his throat, he finally spoke, “Well you look lovely in it Angel. Here, come sit with me by the fire,” he said, reaching out his hand.

I sat next too him while he added a few more pieces of wood to the hearth. Focusing his eyes on the flames, he said rather matter-of-factly, “It looks like you’ll be staying with me tonight.”

“Oh,” I said, trying not to sound overly anxious.

“Yes, I hope that won’t cause any disruption to your today tomorrow.”

“No, it will be fine. Madame Giry and Meg are away for few days and there are no rehearsals tomorrow.”

“Well that’s a bit of a relief,” he smiled. “Are you sleepy my dear?” he asked.

“No not really, a little tired, but not sleepy.”

“Perhaps, you’d join me in some Brandy and then afterwards I could do a sketch of you?”

“A sketch? Oh Erik, I don’t know, I haven’t any make-up on and my curls are all frizzy now.”

“Oh Angel, don’t be silly. You look lovely natural, in fact you’ve never looked lovelier,” he smiled. “Now let’s have that Brandy, shall we.”

I watched as Erik finished drinking his glass of Brandy. I only had a few long sips of mine, knowing if I had too much it would make me sleepy or start behaving foolishly. Afterwards he gathered his drawing supplies and instructed me to sit by fire. Once he started to draw, he’d asked me if I was comfortable or to tilt my head a certain way. I kept moving because my robe and camisole straps kept slipping down. Erik began to shift uncomfortably in his chair and it looked as if he was getting frustrated. After a few moments of this, he started to stand up and walk towards me.

“Erik, I’m sorry for not being still, but my robe keeps slipping,” I explained.

“That’s alright Angel, since it’s nice and warm here by the fire why don’t you take that silly thing off,” he said, referring to my robe, as he knelt to reach for my shoulders. When his hands touched my bare skin shivers ran through me. He gently slid the robe completely off of me. I grasped at my camisole to keep that from slipping along with it. Erik smiled in amusement. “You know dear, those straps are adjustable, let me help you with them.” I was so distracted when getting dressed I never even noticed. He pulled me up and turned my back to him. He gently lifted my hair out of the way. His fingers then glided across my back as he tightened the straps for me. How I kept still, I’ll never know.

“There, that’s better,” he said, as his hands rested on my shoulders.

“Thank you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

He started to lift his hands and walk away, but before he could move I pulled his right hand to me and kissed it. It was not just one quick kiss, but several slow, long kisses. Once I finally freed his hand, I stood there frozen with my back to him. “I love you, Erik,” I said so softly, it was almost inaudible. We both stood silent for a few seconds, then I felt his arms wrap around me. “Angel, I never knew,” he whispered back in my ear. “I love you too,” he said, delivering a flurry of kisses down my neck. He turned me around too face him and we both had tears welling up in our eyes.

“I must be dreaming,” Erik said, “I must be.”

“No, you’re not dreaming Erik. I love you. I love you with all my heart.”

“Oh Angel, I love you so deeply that it hurts, but only in my dreams did I think you’d return my feelings. I never thought it possible you could feel that way about me. You deserve to love and be loved by someone better than me,” he paused, “someone perfect,” he said turning away.

“Erik there is no one better than you; in my eyes you are perfect,” I cried.

He turned back around to face me and I could see a single tear fall down his mask, followed by another then another. I went to wipe them away and kiss his face, then reached to untie his mask. Out of instinct he grabbed my wrists to stop me, but quickly let go. He stood silently as I removed it. Once it was off the tears stopped.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I’m thinking you need to kiss me.”

“As you wish, Angel, as you wish,” he said, as he pulled me to him.