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There were two versions of Christine Daaé – the public and the private.
Erik got to see both sides today.
He saw her in the morning, waking beside him. They’d both allowed themselves to sleep in so that they wouldn’t tire before the concert started, and Erik felt the usual rush of fondness as he saw her stir.
He got to watch her prepare for the concert, sitting at her dressing table, arranging her hair then applying makeup, before slipping into a dress and dabbing on perfume.
Erik’s own preparations took comparatively less time – combing his hair was the work of a moment, he could have dressed himself in a tuxedo whilst blindfolded, and the cologne he applied was for Christine’s benefit alone.
Then came the mask, which was more of an instinct than a part of the routine in dressing himself.
He drove her to the concert venue – outside, because even the Palais Garnier needs a gimmick sometimes – but as they walked closer to where the orchestra actually was, Erik allowed himself to hang back.
They never let themselves be seen together, to ensure Erik’s continued privacy and Christine’s peace of mind.
Separately, they could be the talented composer and pianist who always wore a mask, and the up-and-coming soprano with the stunning voice. But if their relationship made its way into the opera house’s gossip chain, it would only be a matter of time before Christine was inundated with questions about what Erik was like as a person, and what he looked like under the mask.
And people might start approaching Erik, too. No, better for everyone to assume he was untouchable, the distant black shape of a dress suit seated at a grand piano, walking through the opera house with an orchestral score tucked in a folder under one arm. Nobody needed to know that they went home to the same apartment.
The time between finishing setup and waiting for the concert to actually start always seemed to drag, even with the novelty of fresh air and open sky.
But the time did pass, and finally, Christine was stepping on to the stage, the orchestra was done tuning up, the conductor’s baton was raised, and the concert began.
Erik knew the music as he knew his own soul – though out of the two, he preferred the music.
His hands plied the piano with all the skill they’d ever had – no music in front of him, all of it memory, hours of practise until it was seared into his muscles and bones. Through all of it, he had Christine’s voice as his companion and collaborator.
The moment the concert was done, he slipped away. He had no desire to stay, to make small talk around glasses of champagne and try to ignore rude stares at the mask he would not remove. Christine would find him later.
And so she did, slipping her hand into his as he walked her to the car, then drove home, both of them relaxing now that the performance was over.
As soon as the front door was open, Erik surprised her, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her over the threshold. Christine gasped with delight and put her arms around his neck. As he carried her down the hallway, she kicked off her heels and let them fall to the floor.
Erik deposited her on the chaise longue. He intended to move away so that he could fetch her a cup of herbal tea, but before he could, Christine hooked a finger into the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, removing his mask with the other hand.
It was the matter of a second for him to lean in and kiss her hungrily. At the start of their relationship, all his kisses had been hesitant. He did not hesitate now.
By the time he pulled back, out of breath despite his impressive lung capacity, she had somehow undone his black tie and the first few buttons of his shirt without him noticing. He left them undone. It was more comfortable in this heat, and if Christine wanted to see a flash of his sternum, then he would not deny her.
Christine seemed content to repose on the chaise longue and wait for him as he made his way to the kitchen. Erik smiled to himself, already anticipating the embrace they’d find themselves in later tonight, under a single sheet so that they would stay cool during the summer night.
He retrieved two mugs from a cupboard, filled the kettle, and turned it on.