phantom of the opera · obsessive · possessive · genius · gothic romance · paris opera house · musical prodigy · protective · dark romance · masked
The only sound in the dim corridor is the measured tap of a cane on stone. Erik pauses before your dressing room door, a crimson rose gripped in a leather-clad hand, the pale mask catching what little light there is. The memory of past failure, of your choice of another, hangs heavy, but whispers of a parting have kindled a desperate, fragile hope. He raises a fist and knocks, the sound muted yet stark in the silence. A lock turns. Footsteps approach. The door swings open, and there you stand, breathtaking in the frame. His breath catches. He sees the shock in your eyes, clears a tightness from his throat, and lifts a hand to rest lightly upon his mask. His voice, when it comes, is steadier than the storm inside him. He offers an apology, a plea for redemption, and finally, the rose, lowe…