Today's prompt: hiding/secrecy/labyrinth

I wrote another one shot based on Kay's novel today! This one takes place during the time that the opera house was being built. If you haven't read Kay's novel, all you have to know is that Charles Garnier is the contractor responsible for the Palais Garnier. I hope you all enjoy!

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I looked over the blueprints once again for my future home. How glorious the mere thought of it was. I knew it was going to be far better than living from flat to flat. Far less expensive too.

"Erik, there you are," I heard my friend, Charles, say as he sat down at my table in the small coffee shop. "I apologize for being late. My wife and I were previously detained."

I raised my eyebrow at this, but my suspicion did not stop me from trying to quickly hide the blueprints of the lair I'd intended to put beneath the Opera. "Well, you're here now," was all I said.

"Indeed I am," Charles replied, laughing quietly. "What were you looking at?"

"Nothing that's any of your concern," I replied, my tone vaguely threatening. "It's only a rough draft of something I plan to have built for myself."

"A home?" Charles guessed.

Shoot. Why couldn't he just mind his own business? If I had wanted to tell him more about this project of mine, then I would have. How could he not know that?

"Yes, a home," I admitted with some reluctance.

Charles quirked a smile at me. "Let me see it, come on. I'd love to help you on it."

Oh, Charles, you wonderfully ignorant man. If only you knew just how much you were already helping me with this.

"Perhaps at another time," I replied, hoping this would finally silence him on the matter. Before he could think to continue the conversation, I asked: "Why did you insist on having coffee here?"

Charles shrugged. "I like it here. I know that going out anywhere isn't exactly something you're inclined to do, but I thought perhaps it would be small enough where you'd be comfortable with it," he replied.

"There are two many people here." I rolled my eyes in disgust. "I hate it."

"Erik. There is one couple here, and they're at the complete opposite side of the café," Charles said with a quiet laugh. This annoyed me. "Besides, what are you so worried about? Your sunny demeanor and charming personality causing people to want to come over and talk to you?"

I rolled my eyes again as I took a sip from the coffee cup in front of me. "Shut up. I'm not as unapproachable as you make me out to be," I retorted. "You approached me, after all."

"Unfortunately, I had to," Charles replied, laughing as he pulled out the blueprints for the opera house. "Let's get started on what we came here to discuss, shall we?"