Title: Coming Home to My Bed (Variation 02)
Author: Lucifer Rosemaunt

Summary: Short ficlet variations on a theme. The bedroom/bed. Long days mean late nights.
Fandom: Phantom of the Opera
Pairing(s): Erik/Raoul
Warning(s): domestic!AU, modern!AU, fluff, established relationship
Word Count: 648
Rating: G

o.o.o.o

Erik crept into their bedroom silently and quickly, ready to end his day as soon as possible but not wanting to wake Raoul. He navigated the darkness with ease, reaching the closet without incident. Cracking the door open slightly, he flipped the switch and winced as light flooded out. He immediately glanced towards the bed to make sure that he had not disturbed its occupant.

Raoul was huddled on his side, surprisingly taking up as little space as possible. His back was to Erik, but he could see the hand that laid lax by his head and the pillow that was trapped within his embrace. His pillow, if the empty space on his side of the bed was any indication. Although Raoul's breathing was deep and steady, it was obvious he had barely just fallen asleep. The sheets were neatly tucked near his shoulders and his hair was still relatively tame.

Erik kept his eyes on his sleeping form as he methodically undressed. He shrugged off his steel grey suit jacket, flexing his shoulders once they were free from the tailored straightjacket. The vest and black dress shirt followed closely after to be hung up on the closet's doorknob. The effort of finding a free hanger was too great. He wished he could shed thoughts of the day like he shed his clothing, pieces to be placed aside and worried about at a later time. Instead, his days clung to him, bore him down like chains upon his limbs. He tugged off his socks and trousers and took only a moment's hesitation before tossing them haphazardly into the closet. His mask followed, landing with a thud on his trousers. He had spent long hours surrounded by people who were not Raoul, hours spent away from the only person he cared to be around for any duration of time. He deserved the opportunity to disregard cleanliness and the extra effort it took, especially when all his body wanted to do was lay down on his bed with the man he loved.

It was a testament to his fatigue that he did not give a second consideration to the mess he had made when he so constantly chided Raoul for leaving his clothes wherever he wanted. Instead, he simply noted a path to the bed and turned off the lights.

Lifting the edge of the blanket, he carefully slipped between the sheets, trying to disturb the bed as little as possible. Raoul would be angry with him all the more in the morning if he disturbed him now. His caution proved to be futile because at the first creak of the springs, before Erik had even been able to rest his full weight, Raoul moaned. It was the only warning he had before the blond released his grip on the pillow and turned so that Erik was unavoidably drawn towards him. They met in the middle.

Still, Erik's arms were already open and waiting. If there was one thing he could always count on, it was the young man bullying his way into his personal space, moving as close as possible. Even asleep, he managed to insinuate a leg between Erik's so that they could be a tangle of limbs and bodies pressed thigh to chest.

Raoul nuzzled his neck before settling on his arm. He exhaled sharply and then just stilled, tension leaving his body instantly and his breathing returning to the steady rhythm that would eventually draw Erik to sleep with him.

It seemed counterintuitive but Raoul's weight on his arm somehow alleviated the weight Erik had felt all day on his body: the stress from work, the annoyance from dealing with people, the tension from holding himself back. Draping his free arm over Raoul's hip, Erik pressed his lips to his temple and releasing a deep breath, he let everything but Raoul and their bed slip away.

o.o.o.o

End ficlet

A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!
Fic Review: So, I'm coming to realize how bad I am at doing domestic fluff. Like, is it so bad that I just want to see them hang out with each other? In bed? All the time?

Also, I imagine Erik in a three piece suits because Raoul loves the way he looks in them and when not in them, suspenders with his suits because Raoul loves having something to grab onto. (Random headcanons that somehow arise.)