A/N: I posted a poem earlier and asked if I should write a short oneshot to go along with it and I heard "yes" from one person (as of now) and so here it is.
She'd left it on the table. Open. Surely she had been in quite a rush to do so. She never left her diary in the open as it was now. Open, free for any wondering eye – though what eye other than Erik's would see it down there? – to catch a glimpse into the workings of the young singer's mind. Her soul. All poured out onto the pages with raw emotions clear in every stroke of the pen. Why was it lying out there? Calling to him… Tempting him….
Erik stood up suddenly from his place on his sofa, his book forgotten on the arm of it. He would close it. Then it would stop it's horrid beckoning to do evil and read it. Closing it was a simple enough answer for something so petty.
He reached a gloved hand out to flip the small book closed, but it lingered in the air over it. She truly had beautiful handwriting, he mused idly. Very beautiful. As his eyes took in the beauty of the strokes, they also wandered to the words themselves. The letters. Oh hang it all, he hadn't meant to read it but it was open after all…
…couldn't bring myself to show him what I had come up with. It's just a bunch of childish scribbling next to the beautiful things that he writes. His music touches my soul, causes me to feel as if I have wings and I can sore above any problems that are plaguing me. There is nothing but Erik, his music, and my voice.
What a fool I am! But it doesn't matter… No one – not a soul as long as I live – shall read these words.
Oops. Ah well… What she doesn't know, after all….
Erik skimmed the next few words, seeing as they rattle on about this and that, mostly how she felt that this – what on earth was this thing that she was so embarrassed of and yet would not state it? – would never match up. Finally his dark eyes rested on what appeared to be lyrics.
This beautiful intoxication
That sways us to and fro
With each note I fall deeper into your trance
That you alone shall break
Darkness surrounds us
As we descend further
And in darkness we will breathe
One more sigh of relief
In darkness we are free
Light a candle to show the way
Through the passage of my heart
For you've taken me captive
And willingly I have followed
Be still, my mind
Burst free, my soul
Between us there will be no secrets
You will fly me away to a place unknown
Steal me away
Take me to the place between reality and fantasy
We will walk that line there
Tottering off to one side
In the darkness I will find you
In the darkness I will strive
To tell you I love you
This one time.
Erik felt his heart nearly stop. Who was she talking about? Surely not him! Perhaps it was that horrid Raoul de Chagny…. Cursed boy always was messing with his plans. No… It couldn't possibly be him. From what he knew of the lad – which he had made sure was quite a bit – he was lighthearted and would not have known anything of the darkness that the Phantom knew. Was it possible…? His eyes darted down to page once more.
I cannot bare to show him. What if he were to discover my true feelings? It might be the death of all we know…
"Erik?"
Erik spun quickly, closing the book as he did so. How had he not heard her?Foolish, foolish Erik!"Christine," he said, surprising himself that his voice was steady as he held her closed diary out to her. "You shouldn't leave this lying about."
She blushed deeply. "You didn't…no, I'm sorry. You wouldn't." She smiled at him. "Thank you, Erik, I'll put it away right now." She took the book from his hands, her thing, slim fingers touching his gloved hand very slightly, sending chills through him. She looked up at him once more, locking eyes with him. "You didn't read it, did you?" Her voice was quiet.
"A bit," he admitted, regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth.
Her blush spread across her entire face. "Oh no…" she cried softly. "You must think me a fool!"
"Might I ask… who the lyrics were written for?"
She ducked her head so that he could not see her face. "Were they horrid?"
"They were," he paused, searching for the right word. "The must beautiful thing written on paper."
She looked up suddenly. "You really think so?" He nodded. "Good. Because they were written for you." That said, she turned and fled to apartment, leaving Erik standing in shock.
In the darkness I will find you
In the darkness I will strive
To tell you I love you
This one time
The end
TS