Darling. (Erik/Phantom x Reader)

Eighteen.

The Catacombs Below the Opera House.

***

Erik sat at his organ, staring at the keys in a mix of horror and disbelief. He would have never imagined that Y/N would ask him to dinner. He would have never, ever imagined him reacting in such a negative way.

Why did he have such an outburst? If you asked him only days prior, he would have plainly stated that it was his dream and fantasy that Y/N asked him to dinner or admitted she had any sort of feeling for him. Here, she had done both -- and he asked her to reconsider!

Then again, part of him believed the reconsideration was necessary, for surely she could not have meant what she was asking. An angel, such as herself, could never sincerely want a man as hideous as himself. 

With nowhere else to turn, Erik stood and quickly began his journey through a mix of tunnels and passageways until he was able to open up a false bookshelf and barge into Carriere's office, where Carriere was in the middle of reviewing applications for new set painters. 

"Erik, how nice to see you in daylight -- what's wrong?" Carriere asked as soon as he saw the pained expression on Erik's face and riddled through his body. Erik dropped himself in the seat across from Carriere, and hung his head.

"I am having a personal crisis."

"What else is new?" Carriere mumbled, before looking back at Erik and seeing the genuine pain on his face, "What happened?"

"Last night, Y/N was attacked by Buquet. She... called for me to protect her, and I did--"

"Did you kill Buquet?" 

"Well, he attacked me and I had to defend myself. Originally, I had hoped I could simply scare him enough to leave the opera, but I don't regret his death."

"Neither do I," Carriere agreed, "Horrible man. Is Y/N alright?"

"She was shaken up, but I had arrived before anything truly devastating could occur. She just... she said she didn't want to be left alone, so I brought her into the catacombs with me," Erik reran the night's events in his mind, trying to relay the information earnestly to Carriere, "I played some music for her, and she slept in the second room, and it was perfectly sublime."

"So what seems to be the issue?"

"I am not done," Erik said, not annoyed but rather defeated, "I brought her back to her dormitory room this morning, you understand, and she said she needed to ask me something -- and then, she asked me to dinner."

"Erik, that is marvelous news and I am failing to see the issue."

"I am still not finished," He said, again, slouching further into his seat, "I completely panicked and... and I insisted that she take a day to consider the offer."

"HER offer? You insisted that the lady take a day... to consider the question she herself was asking?"

"I know, I know!" Erik nodded, "But you must admit, it was not unjustified!"

"How so? It sounds absolutely insane to me."

"Because, I am not worthy," He spoke, standing up from his seat and pacing around the room, "She is beautiful, talented, intelligent, sociable -- I live secluded from society like a recluse and am hideous. How could she possibly consider it a good match?"

"The heart defies logic," Carriere stated, "Plus, you two have been spending a great deal of time together. Clearly, you get along well enough, have enough in common."

"Yes, but -- she is..." Erik stopped pacing to turn to Carriere, "You have seen her perform Think of Me. She has won the hearts of the entire city, given us all a glimpse of the Heavens themselves -- and she chooses me?"

"The power of proximity," Carriere joked, "Erik, stop doubting her feelings and start thanking God himself for placing someone who, I would argue, is your soulmate in proximity to yourself."

"What if she does reconsider and rescinds the proposal?"

"She won't," Carriere stated with certainty.

"How do you know?"

"I know -- now, go write her a letter saying you'd like to see her after the show to discuss her question and pray that she is willing to look past your eccentricities." 

Erik nodded, thanked Carriere, and quickly retrieved back into his catacombs to follow his friend's instructions.