Disclaimer: Please don't sue. I don't own POTO... All I own is an overactive imagination.

Summary: ErikRaoul slash quasi crackfic. Something for the holidays.

Warning(s): homosexual content. It's slash, people!

Pairing(s): ErikRaoul

A/N: This is just me writing a Christmas story. Whatever comes to my mind is what's going in this story so don't expect too much. I hope you enjoy it anyway. It might not make any sense in the end, but knowing my mind, there will at least be some good WAFFy action between Erik and Raoul (unlike in my current fic UTC). As an added bonus, I'm not going to hurt Raoul. He's only going to be drunk:oP Pure awesome-ness, right?

Oh, and I have no idea what timeframe I would place this in.

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Christmas Tradition

Christmas Eve

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By: Lucifer Rosemaunt

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It all started when Andre convinced Firmin that a Christmas party for the employees of the Opera Populaire was needed. As thanks for the wonderful jobs that everyone did, Andre argued that it was necessary. Firmin was not convinced though. It was simply another unnecessary expense in his opinion.

That was until Andre said, "Just think. All those chorus girls will be drunk and we'll be the most eligible bachelors available."

Firmin thought about it for a moment before replying, "I would not want to kill the Christmas spirit. Of course we must have this party."

Andre smiled triumphantly. His spirits were dampened when Firmin continued.

"I will have to invite the Vicomte."

But considering the ratio of chorus girls to managers plus one Vicomte, Andre considered that it would not be too much of a burden to invite the patron. He nodded enthusiastically.

They set out to find the perfect date to have this party. Going through all the practice schedules and their business meetings, they found that the only date available was Christmas Eve. There was to be a performance on Christmas day. Nothing spectacular, but the orchestra and the singers would perform renditions of well-known carols.

They wondered if everyone would still be drunk by then, but they had about a day to become sober, so the invitations were sent. Only the employees, the managers, and the Vicomte were invited. In the spirit of Christmas, Andre even slipped in an invitation to the Phantom of the Opera.

Everyone was excited upon receiving the invitations that it was the talk amongst everyone for the weeks leading up to the party itself.

o.o.o

When Raoul read the invitation, he was excited. He didn't have anything planned for Christmas or the days surrounding it since he had no one special with whom to spend it. He had planned to go to the Opera Populaire's concert held on Christmas itself, but beyond that, he had been expecting a rather uneventful Christmas Eve and Day. He had been looking for something a little more peaceful and less hectic actually, because since becoming the patron, his life had been surprisingly busier.

This party seemed interesting though. He would be able to see Christine and if he did not like it, he could always just leave early. He was certain the managers only invited him because he was the patron. Still, it was something to do.

Sitting at the party for the last hour had been boring however. Raoul planned on going home, but he did not want to go home to that empty estate just yet. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time. The music was good, the company ideal, but Raoul found himself frowning and sitting on a bench against the wall. The managers had entertained him for only moments before going off to gawk at the dancers. Christine had also talked with him, but she hadn't been interested in talking. She had wanted to dance, and since Raoul hadn't felt like dancing, she had left him to find someone who wanted to. It wasn't his fault, he just didn't want to dance.

So, instead, Raoul started to drink. Drinking however, made Raoul's inhibitions slip, his maturity drop a few years, and his courage increase to an unsafe level. Luckily for him, he could be reasonably well-behaved as long as nothing caught his attention. So as the night wore on, the only indication that the Vicomte was anything but composed was the sporadic giggling fits as he watched everyone.

o.o.o

Erik had not known what to make of the invitation that he had received. He was wondering if it was some ploy of the managers so that he would not ruin their party. He had not planned on ruining it anyway, but the party was interesting enough to catch his attention. Naturally, he would be there so an invitation was entirely unnecessary, but it had been nice. He had to hand it to the managers. They managed to surprise him every now and then.

For him, Christmas held no special meaning. The only thing the date indicated was a time when his opera house was decorated with unnecessary plants and candles. But, since he didn't have anything particular planned Christmas Eve, he decided to at least watch the party.

He had known Christmas meant nothing for him, but he of course had forgotten how annoyed he became watching people be happy when he himself was miserable. He was about to leave when he saw someone who looked like he shared his unhappiness. The Vicomte was sitting and pouting at everyone. Erik's anger dissipated. He laughed at Raoul's situation but stopped once he realized it was the same for him. Everyone was enjoying the party while he was on the sidelines watching.

Having nothing else to do, he settled down to watch. The music was horrible, the company annoying, but Erik found himself watching them nonetheless.

His eyes seemed drawn to the Vicomte however. So, he watched as Raoul drank one alcoholic beverage after another. At first he thought that the Vicomte had incredibly good countenance for that much alcohol. Then, the first giggling fit hit and Erik was stunned. The wide-eyed look on the Vicomte's face when he saw Firmin groping a dancer seemed so innocent and out of place that Erik wondered if Raoul should still be allowed at this party.

Raoul stopped giggling suddenly and leaned forward with interest. Erik followed his gaze and saw Andre casually walking a dancer over to a doorway. He realized what was happening a moment later when he pointed up to the mistletoe then proceeded to kiss her rather lewdly.

They left, but Raoul's gaze, and thus Erik's, was drawn back when moments later Firmin brought someone over and proceeded to kiss her. Erik wondered about what Raoul was thinking as Andre and Firmin repeated the process many times.

He looked around the room for a moment to gauge the overall mood and he glanced towards the Vicomte only to find him missing. Erik scanned the room immediately checking the corner of the room that had all the drinks, but he was not there. Erik found him talking to Christine and Meg, both of whom were very drunk. Raoul had lost the wide-eyed look and goofy grin. He looked surprisingly composed for someone who had consumed the amount of alcohol Erik had seen him consume. Raoul pointed over towards the direction of the mistletoe and brought them over.

Erik was incensed to think he was trying to kiss Christine so he moved closer. He suspected that the Vicomte was trying to prey on her helplessness in her drunken state. However, as they approached the mistletoe, Raoul pushed both Christine and Meg under it giggling proudly and pointing. Erik was close enough to hear him announce a little too loudly but with as much seriousness as he could muster, "Christmas tradition states you must kiss."

Meg and Christine shrugged and kissed each other on the cheek. Erik could only stand and watch. He wondered what Raoul was trying to do, but then stopped thinking upon hearing Raoul's next statement.

Raoul giggled, but shook his head. "On the lips."

Both girls looked at him unbelieving. Erik also shared the look, but waited to see if Christine and Meg would do it.

"If you don't," he managed to stay serious, "you'll be cursed until next Christmas." Raoul nodded sagely.

Erik wondered who would believe such nonsense, but looking at the girls, he knew the answer: very drunk people.

Both girls, believing in his serious manner, looked stricken and proceeded to kiss each other chastely on the lips. They looked to Raoul expectantly to see if it had been enough to save them from the curse.

Raoul stifled a giggled and shook his head again. "Nope. Needs tongue for at least ten seconds." Raoul held up both his hands.

"What?" they both exclaimed.

Raoul shrugged his face serious again. He started to turn away saying, "I don't really care. You were the ones that stood under it. It's your curse."

He waited with his back turned towards them. Erik watched in eager anticipation. He hoped they would not remember that Raoul had actually pushed them under the mistletoe.

Both girls pouted, but looked resigned to do it. Raoul had been peeking over his shoulder to watch their reactions.

"I'll keep count," Raoul suggested. He turned around and looked eagerly at them.

They nodded and kissed each other. At first they were tentative at opening their mouths, but they got into it, their tongues entwining with each other. Raoul could only watch. His mouth was agape and he was thoroughly turned on. Erik found himself in a similar position. Both men whispered a breathy "whoa" at the same time.

Raoul was certain ten seconds had passed, but he didn't feel like saying anything just yet.

They finished kissing and looked at him. Raoul just nodded, his mouth still open. He gave them a thumbs up and watched as Christine and Meg walked away as they laughed and smiled to each other as though nothing had happened.

Raoul didn't move for a while. He just stared at the mistletoe, and Erik feared when he smiled sinisterly and left to go into the crowd. Raoul had found his entertainment for the night. So, too had Erik, but he was worried all the same.

Raoul would go out and convince people to follow him through various means and proceeded to persuade that the Christmas tradition and curse were both true. Erik looked on at their stupidity in awe. Every single person that Raoul managed to bring under the mistletoe believed his story. Erik had never heard of the Christmas tradition of the twenty-second (Raoul had been inspired by Christine and Meg to raise the number) kiss with tongue, but he was amused nonetheless. What was more amusing was the fact that Raoul never had to explain what the curse actually entailed. Upon hearing 'curse', they would immediately kiss. He did wonder many times however how much alcohol those people were actually consuming.

Raoul and Erik found themselves watching many of the chorus girls kissing each other. For a while, Andre and Firmin stood to the side and watched Raoul work his magic before wanting to get some action of their own. The two also found themselves watching as Madame Giry and Monsieur Reyer kissed. It was like watching a carriage accident. They couldn't look away.

As the party was dwindling down, Raoul felt very accomplished, but he was beginning to feel very tired. He had made almost everyone kiss, but he realized he had yet to get his own traditional Christmas twenty-second kiss with tongue. He was planning to leave, but he could not just yet. However, he knew that he couldn't just go out himself and bring a person to the mistletoe since no one trusted him anymore. So, he hid near the mistletoe waiting to jump the next person who stood underneath the mistletoe. He needed that Christmas kiss lest he be cursed as well for standing so close to it without kissing anyone. He was getting impatient as he waited knowing that his bed was calling him, but he waited eagerly nonetheless.

Erik, who had been watching Raoul's whole crusade thoroughly amused, had looked at the people still left in the room wondering who the next victims would be. He looked towards the doorway only to see that the Vicomte was missing once more. Thinking that Raoul had finally ended his crusade, he went to investigate. He wanted to see the mistletoe up close since he had never paid much attention to it. Now, he would never look at that plant in the same way ever again.

He reached the doorway and looked through it wondering what could have dragged the Vicomte away from the door that he had been guarding most of the night when someone jumped out from behind him. When he felt someone grabbing his face, Erik thought he was being attacked, but he was shocked to find lips on his own and a probing tongue seeking entrance. He was forced to close his eyes lest he become cross-eyed, but worse for him was the fact that his mind decided to shut off completely. His hands found their way to the person's hips and stayed their while the stranger's arms circled around his neck. The lips were so smooth and coaxing that he found his own lips responding and opening to accept the probing tongue. The mouth tasted of alcohol and something sweeter. He couldn't describe it, but he felt intoxicated himself. When his mind finally caught up to the moment, the kiss ended. When he opened his eyes, he saw a very proud Vicomte who pecked him once again on the lips before laughing and rushing out of the opera house.

Erik watched him leave. His body was still not moving. He could not comprehend what had just happened. Between the thoughts of what he should have done – like push him away when he first kissed him, and what had actually happened – like possibly enjoying it, he was torn on whether he approved of the outcome of what had occurred. Touching his lips, he looked up at the mistletoe. He would indeed never look at the plant in the same way ever again.

o.o.o.o

End ch01

word count: 2,227

Ch02 pending.

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A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!

And this is where that male concept of every girl being one drink away from a lesbian experience pops up. We can't help it.

Not as much ErikRaoul action as I thought there would be. Lot of MegChristine action though.

Ahh….. carriage accident. I hear those are horrible.

I'm in a very weird mood right now. Please excuse me.

I was thoroughly amused writing it, hope you were in reading it. It's nothing spectacular though. -- I know.