Christine.
Erik's mask fell off when I pushed him in the water. I don't think he notices.
I don't mind, actually I like it. He shouldn't have to hide his true self.
We have started a small water battle. It's fun. And now with his mask off, I can see his real smile. With nothing to hide it.
I stop splashing and walk towards him. He also stops.
"Something up?" He asks.
"My ribs hurt." I say.
"This wasn't the best idea was it?"
"It's fine." I bring my hands up to his face. My fingers brush against his distorted skin.
He pulls back. Away from my grip. His hand floats up to his own face. He covers it. And turns away from me.
"Erik, if I had a problem with it, I would have said so."
"You should have told me. I don't want you to see."
"But why? You saw me when I was tiny and scared. It isn't any different. You shouldn't be ashamed of this."
"I guess you're right." I ease his hand off his face. And replace it with my own.
"But you're beautiful no matter what." He says.
"So are you." He locks his lip on mine.
My wet hair sticks to his face.
"I'm cold." I squeeze closer to him.
"Why don't you go change, and I can put the kettle on."
In my room I change into an almost identical outfit. I ring out my hair, we don't have any towels, so I'm still relatively damp.
"Tea!" Erik calls. I leave my room, and enter the parlour.
"Here you are." Erik hands me a fine china cup and saucer filled with black tea.
"It's odd to have such delicate things in a cave." I say.
"You're here." He jokes.
"I am not delicate!" I argue.
"Don't worry. Raoul is delicate. You're actually fairly strong."
"There was one time, he cried because I refused to eat dinner with him."
"I can't believe he threw you out."
"I'm much better here with you though."
"But he had the smartest, most wonderful girl he could ever meet, and he literally threw her away."
"I can hardly believe you're being sympathetic towards Raoul."
"We both love you, we have that in common, or we did. I'm not sure about him anymore. I was devastated when you left with him. I just can't imagine refusing you entirely."
The line 'we both love you' stays in my mind.
He kisses the top of my head.
"Do you want to make a cake?" He asks.
"A cake?"
"I passed a bakery last time I went out. I've wanted cake ever since."
"Couldn't we just buy one?"
"But where's the adventure in that?"
"Have you ever made a cake before?" I just can't really see him baking.
"No, you?"
I shake my head.
"Well This should be interesting."
The cake is an absolute disaster.
It's not as fluffy as the printed drawing in the old cook book Erik has. I'm pretty sure there are shards of egg shell in it, along with to much flour.
"It tastes interesting?" Erik eats a fork full.
"Yeah."  I don't know what my opinion is. It's not bad, just not good.
There's flour and other ingredients down the front of his black vest. He isn't wearing the black tails he usually does.
"If you still want cake, we could go out and buy one." I suggest.
"You want to go out?"
"Yeah, why not? I'm much better, it will be good for me to get some sunlight."
He mumbles something about how night is better.
"Alright," he says. "What do you want to wear? We burned your only dress."
"I can wear this I'm sure." I look down at my white shirt and pants.
"Could I borrow a suit?"
"Umm, go ahead?"
I suit a suit, or at least I think I do. I pull my short hair into a hat. And look at myself in the mirror in the main room. My shoes surprisingly fit, along with my coat and other items.
Erik have me so many different pieces of clothing I wondered why they even wear them. I thought men only wore one layer.
"Not bad." Erik says as he comes out of his own room he pulls on his white mask.
"Why thank you." I tip my hat, and my hair falls out. I fix it.
"Remember, you have to act natural. Act like me."
"Are you natural?"
"Just do what I do."
"Are you worried?"
"Why would you say that? I'm not worried mec you'll be fine, Raoul won't find you and no one will know you're a man."
He is very tense, and I have never seen him like this before.
"Come on, it'll be great, we just pop by the bakery, then leave."
"Yeah okay."
We leave through a secret passage. Paris is revolting, it smells worse than I remember it smelling. The sky is gloomy, the stink of the people mixes with the smell of the heavy rain. So much for sunlight.
Even Erik scrunches his nose. The walk isn't too long. Or feet ar soaked with mud. we get a few strange glances, most of them are supposedly aimed at Erik's mask, but I think some look at me too.
As soon as we enter the bakery the entire atmosphere changes. The smell of the building is sweet and starchy. The woman at the counter has a warm kind smile. Her cheeks are wrinkled slightly, she has the air of someone who has lived well.
Erik deals with her, and the purchase. Leaving me to stare at the beautiful loafs and cake designs.
Even though it smells better here, it's starting to get stuffy.
"Can I go out for a moment?"I ask Erik, whispering to him so no one hears my very feminine voice.
He hesitates but nods.
I step outside. The awful stench returning to my nostrils.
I lean against the side of the wooden building.
For a moment I think I see Raoul. He's traveling in a carriage. I jump up, to get a better loo, but he's gone before I'm off the small wooden sidewalk. Something in the mud catches my attention. There's a small paper.
I pick it up. It's an envelope, addressed to me.
Who would write a letter to me? And if it was Raoul why?
A firm hand on my shoulder snaps me out of my mind. It pulls me back. A carriage rushes past at a fairly high speed for horses. It's splatters mud on my face and coat.
"Be careful." Erik says.
I put the envelope in my pocket.
We walk back to the catacombs. We're safer the less time we spend outside.
Inside I take off my suit jacket and hat, my dry hair falls to my shoulders. I leav the vest on. I'm fairly cold, the rain soaked through my coat. My sleeves are relatively dry. My mud soaked pants are sticking to my legs.
Erik places a box on the coffee table in the parlour. He takes off his gloves and coat. He takes a moment to think before also removing his mask.
I put the letter next to the box. Before going to the bathroom to clean the mud off my face.
Erik starts putting together dinner, as I also change out of my trousers into a new pair.
Once I'm finished Erik cleans himself up as well as I finish with the food preparation.
Erik seems exhausted. I wonder how much sleep he's gotten over the past few days. I know he fell asleep on the roof, but it was only a few hours at least. He's been eating well though. I think he was trying to encourage me. Both of our bodies are thin and slender. And mostly because of food depravation, though for different reasons. His is chosen.
I pour soup into two bowls. Instead of eating at the dining table maybe we could eat on the parlour couch.
I set the bowls down as Erik walks back in from his room. He's wearing a new set of clothes, considerably similar to mine. I know I should get some new clothes of my own. But these are so damn comfortable. I doubt Raoul would let me wear trousers.
"Do you mind if I keep wearing men's clothes or would you prefer if I got a dress?" I ask, sitting down on the couch.
"Do what you want." He sits next to me.
"I don't want to leave again." I sigh.
"Sadly we will have to get food." He wraps his arm around my shoulders.
"But no more shopping or anything. I think I saw Raoul."
"I saw him too. Did he drop that letter?"
"I think so, I did something similar a while ago."
He picks up one of the bowls. And starts spooning the soup into his mouth.
"Is it easier without the mask?"
"Yeah, much easier."
I pick up my own bowl. The liquid travels down my throat, warming me.
When we finish the soup. He lays his head on my shoulder.
I am very happy Erik saved me from that retched life I lived. I believe that any life Raoul could have given me wouldn't be nearly as wonderful. Thinking back on him, Raoul was manipulative. He used his looks and charm to get to my mind. Not that looks are important. But it was most of what Raoul had to offer. He somehow convinced me that he was a better choice. That Erik couldn't give me a good life. I remember that night on the roof. The same roof Erik and I stayed on that one night. Where Raoul made me promise to love him. If I was going to love someone, it would be my choice.
"I love you." I whisper and kiss Erik's hair.
He's fallen asleep as far as I can tell. He's warm. So I snuggle closer. Leaning against the side of the couch.