#CHRISTINE DAAE… WHERE IS YOUR RED SCARF

[kyannnite]

attended my good friends’ halloween party as christine last night and was a little sad because some of the guests who i did not know previously were Not Getting my costume… then spotify halloween playlist puts on the titular song of poto (2004) AND (at the exact same time) I HEAR A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

ITS MY BELOVED FRIEND WHO MOVED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY HERE FOR A SURPRISE VISIT FOR ONE DAY ONLY. DRESSED AS RAOUL FINAL LAIR LASSO AND ALL

needless to say we were the best dressed there and my night was capped off by the clock striking 12am and being able to celebrate my bday in full christine costume

[manor-tea-time]

With that, the essence is complete! Thank you so much to those who not only volunteered their ocs for me to draw but also for everyone's patience as I completed the designs. I thoroughly enjoyed developing this essence project and have been pretty excited to share it with you guys for a while!

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

A note for the extra stuff:

I did decide to include little bonus doodles of the characters/aspects of the designs I couldn't figure out a way to display properly. Along with this, I wanted to give the characters some fun accessories as well! Nothing super crazy, but just fun lore items the characters can have. You may feel free to use these added details however you wish!

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Costumes and Accessories:

S - Tier Accessory: Masquerading Melody - {Cleo / @ask-idv-thrillseeker }

At a masquerade, you can fool any friend who ever knew you!

S - Tier Accessory: Unspoken Question - {Ivy Nettle / @manor-tea-time}

No more talk of darkness, forget your wide-eyed fears.

A - Tier Accessory: Little Lotte's Scarf - {Finality /@finality-and-origin}

“Christine Daae, where on earth is your red scarf?”

A - Tier Accessory: Phantom's Letter - {Tatya / @tatya-time }

Primadonna your song will never die.

A - Tier Accessory: Off the Book - {Bridget / @candymaker-idv }

“And how do you know the Maestro isn’t listening?”

A - Tier Accessory: Seasoned Tips - {Rue / @voidproject}

“Meg Giry, are you a dancer? Then go rehearse!”

B - Tier Accessory: Cloaked Disguise - {Matilda / @idv-ask-the-horatius-siblings}

“AMATEURS!”

B - Tier Accessory: Well Wishes - {Wayne Strickland / @manor-tea-time}

“Those who speak of what they know, learn too late, that prudent silence is wise. Hold your tongue they will burn you with the heat of their eyes.”

B - Tier Accessory: Phantasmic Demands - {Miss. Silhouette / @manor-tea-time}

“Who would have the gall to send this?! Someone with a puerile brain!”

B - Tier Accessory: Organized Chaos - {Beth / @ask-idv-baker-embalmer-and-merc}

Half your cast disappears, yet the world still cheers!

B - Tier Accessory: Musical Vision - {Carrie / @oletus-carousel}

“Is this what you wanted to see? Now you can never be free!”

B - Tier Accessory: Trusted Tool - {Kitty / @idv-artists-trio}

“Please Monsieur, don’t look at me! As God’s witness, I was not at my post. Please Monsieur, there’s no one there, and if there is, well then! It must be a ghost!”

B - Tier Accessory: Hand Held Spotlight - {Alden / @ask-idv-astronaut}

“Light up the stage with the age-old rapport!”

B - Tier Accessory: Panicked Resignation Letter - {Vanadis / @idv-fifis-toybox}

“Is, these things do happen. Well, until you stop these things happening, this thing does not happen!”

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Music of the Night Essence:

The stage has been set! The lights are lit and the curtain is rising! Welcome to The Empire Opera House's final dress rehearsal of the timeless classic, The Phantom of the Opera! Let's hope these new ghastly hiccups won't throw this show off of the rails. After all, the show must go on!

Rules:

-Contact me to claim roles via inbox, dm, or on discord!

-One Person Per Blog (sorry fellow multi-character blogs).

-Don't be rude to anyone if you don't get your first pick on roles. Not only is this first come first serve, but it's also all for fun!

Note:

-Character genders aren't solid! Send whoever you'd like for whatever role!

-If you have any questions about any role or the essence in general please don't hesitate to ask me!

-Costume designs may take a while as I'd be designing them in between classes.

·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:· In-Store S Tier: The Angel of Music - {Cleo/@ask-idv-thrillseeker}

A Spector masquerades as a man as it tries to put together the perfect recreation of the script.

Character Description: The once-unenthused actor chosen for the role of the phantom. Over the time of rehearsal, it seemed that the actor hadn’t been keen on the choice of role or that she’d gotten in the play in general. Rumors spread she had simply tried out as a joke between her and her friend who was the head of the light crew. However, after a strange event that happened after one rehearsal, they slowly over time started to act more and more akin to their role. While some people shrugged it off as some strange form of method acting, it's hard not to question the drastic change in personality.

Warnings: This character is possessed throughout the entirety of the plot line. They also commit multiple murders, kidnapping, stalking, etc (basically a good chunk of scenes from the play). ·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:·

S Tier: “Christine” - {Ivy Nettle/@manor-tea-time}

3rd in line for the role of the ingenue, it is a wonder she made it to the stage. Bright lights of center stage await them along with a foreboding ghostly presence.

Character Description:

A part of the stage crew that was forced to take up a part of the show after the last understudy quit the production for mysterious reasons. She’s desperately trying to figure out how exactly to not let the show down and to make up for any lost time. However, as more and more incidents occur, the more on edge and freaked out she becomes.

Warnings: This character gets kidnapped and stalked like in the original play.

·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:·

A Tier: The Vicomte - {Finality/@finality-and-origin}

A talented new actor that appeared out of the framework, starring as Raoul in their debut show.

Character Description:

A sweet soul, albeit anxious for their debut show. Unsure of what exactly to expect from the audience and what they hope to be the beginning of their acting career. As many of the events caused by the phantom occur they start becoming more and more on edge as they question if staying in the production is actually worth it.

A Tier: Primadonna - {Tatya Baudelair/@tatya-time}

A well seasoned actress playing the role of Carlotta. 

Character Description:

While playing the role of a primadonna, they seem to be the furthest thing from it. Often giving small tips/advice to help any of the newer actors/actresses who need it (ex. How to help with stage fright, remembering cues, etc). The main reason she tried out for this show was to support her childhood friend who got the role as Pianji.

Warning: This character gets killed off at some point in the storyline.

A Tier: Aspiring Ballerina - {Bridget Meyler/@candymaker-idv}

Chosen from a local dance studio, this ballerina hopes to plant the seeds to blossom her career.

Character Description:

Playing Meg in the production, this ballerina has more or less put themselves in overdrive to not way down any other people in the cast. Often secretly taking small acting lessons from The Mademe to keep up with everyone else. During the events the phantom causes, she’s one of the first people to put together how the events are following the plot of the play.

A Tier: The Madame - {Rue/@voidproject}

Reprising their role as Madame Giry, this well seasoned actress returns to the stage for a small reunion for her fans.

Character Description:

The Madame is a fairly well-known actress, rumored to be looking towards retirement as their shows start dwindling for a variety of reasons. This rumor seems to be more and more confirmed as they start giving pieces of their acting knowledge to the acting troop’s aspiring ballerina.

·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:·

B Tier: The Baritone - {Matilda/@idv-ask-the-horatius-siblings}

A local actor that was chosen for the role of Pianji.

Character Description:

A very passionate local actor who dragged their friend, Primadonna to try out with them for the production. Extremely excited when they both were able to get in as a duo. 

Warning: This character gets killed off at some point in the storyline.

B Tier: Chief of the Flys - {Wayne Strickland/@manor-tea-time}

A local actor who was chosen for the role of Buquet.

Character Description:

An actor, while not much into the acting scene, wanted to support their daughter, one of the background ballerinas. They’re a fairly gentle soul who seems confused at all of the normal theater shenanigans but has the right spirit.

Warning: This character gets killed off at some point in the storyline.

B Tier: Building Manager - {Miss. Silhouette/@manor-tea-time}

“Gossip is worth its weight in Gold”

Character Description:

The building manager is a fairly greedy and money oriented person. During the events caused by the phantom, they insist that the show must go on for the payout rather than trying to keep the actors safe.

B Tier: Stage Manager - {Beth/@ask-idv-baker}

“The show must go on!” seems to be a redundant saying now.

Character Description:

An overworked stage manager who is slowly questioning why they chose to work for the theater. They’re essentially the equivalent of a tired parent who has to kinda deal with whatever the phantom throws at the show.

B Tier: Maestro - {Exile/@oletus-carousel}

A haunting melody echoes throughout the theater as the Maestro plays their song.

Character Description:

A fairly new Maestro to the musical scene, this being their debut show. They’re a fairly eccentric personality who takes every musical cue in the show extremely seriously. After all, they wish everything to be perfect for opening night.

Warning: This character gets killed off at some point in the storyline.

B Tier: Prop Master - {Kitty Nutella/@idv-artists-trio}

The prop master checks through their list. A noticeable amount of props have gone missing.

Character Description:

A secluded and unsociable person, the prop master often sticks to their own world of prop making. The only times that the acting troupe has seen them talk is to clarify certain things to the director before leaving once more. They’re the 2nd person to notice the strange patterns of the phantom.

B Tier: Light Crew - {Alden West/@ask-idv-astronaut}

“Perhaps you can scare a ghost away with a little illumination! Gentlemen!”

Character Description:

An experienced part of the backstage crew, they’re fairly confident in the abilities of the actors and stage-crew. They’re noted to make small jokes of their time in school with the actor that plays the phantom, but overall seem proud of their sudden seriousness they have taken to the role (at least till the incidents occur).

B Tier: Retired Understudy - {Vanadis/@idv-fifis-toybox}

The understudy knew once the strange occurrences started happening that their role wasn’t worth their life.

Character Description:

Known as the real primadonna that was formerly on stage, it was a strange occurrence when they quit the show for reasons she wouldn’t elaborate upon. With no one to fill in her place, she left the stage crew scrambling for someone that could fill in her spot.

Warning: This character was kidnapped and stalked like in the original play. It is also implied that this character was almost killed a few times.

[dechagnys]

        tag  drop  pt.2   !!!

[aftonfamilyvalues]

In tribute to his VA who passed away today can I get a blorbo rating for Ferdinand von Aegir from Three Houses? (Pre timeskip, post timeskip and 3Hopes, please).

hope these are correct because im not getting nice answers

he looks like raoul de chagny. christine daae, where is your red scarf? 9/10

pretty much the same but longer hair? just looks slightly older and has different clothes 8/10

and even longer hair. still not much of a difference but the clothes. i suppose i prefer the first one a little more thank the other two though. 8/10

[laqueus]

this is really stupid and sketchy and I apologise in advance, but guess what happens when you force yourself to go to work for thee days straight when you’re feeling sick?

your brain comes up with a ‘PotO Swimming AU’ and finds it hilarious because you’re poorly

on the fourth day your body holds a gun to your head and goes “try me, bitch”

Christine

An aspiring swimmer! ... Right up until Papa Daae died and her swimming promptly became that one swimming scene from Golden Boy

childhood friends with Raoul :)

him swimming out to recuse her red scarf from the sea inspirired her to start swimming professionally

has a WILL of IRON

people underestimate her due to her shorter stature + woman + notoriously bad performance

oh ho ho just you WAIT mate, she will kick your arse in this race

REALLY bad lier, like in canon

she’s wearing the exact gear I go swimming in lol don’t @ me

Raoul

Christine’s chilhood friend :)

kinda like a golden labrador in terms of personality

ALWAYS down to swim even if it’s like 2AM

“c’mon, christine! the water’s great!” “raoul it’s like -7 degrees I’m not getting in”

had plans to go into the navy but this somehow transitioned into “I really like the swimming aspect guess I’ll just do that instead”

somehow became bros with the daroga after this one time where they accidentally got locked in the sauna together ERIK!

their friendship is a mystery to everyone

CANNOT do backstroke for some reason. he just can’t

has had to be saved more than once by either christine or the daroga when he’s attemped backstroke

Daroga

you know those people who always seem to be there at swimming pools, just sitting on the sidelines without being attached to any particular swimmer? yeah. he’s one of those

people don’t really know What His Deal Is

the most popular theory is that he used to be a lifeguard

knows his way around the pool and storage really well

was he a lifeguard?

:)

wears socks and flip-flops because I was wearing socks and flip-flops in my dream last night

“this is how i’m spending my retirement?? keeping an eye on a guy who has nothing better to do with his time than dress up like a skeleton in a swimming pool?”

Erik

I’M SORRY HE LOOKS LIKE A MORON believe me I TRIED various designs but just Could Not Make Him Look Cool

his lair is a swimming pool under the swimming pool

I know he could thorectically live in, I dunno pool storage or whatever but this is infinitely funny to me in my poorly state

ENTHRALLED with christine; how can someone who has the vesitages of such great form be so shite at swimming?

alias: the phantom of the pool

i’m sorry but tying that immediately made me think of the phantom of the mall

covers up because the chlorine hurts his skin or something

i also wanted his design to incorperate the cape-y-ness of female blanket octopuses, but i straight up failed here

inhuman swimming capabilities

wields the punjab pool noodle

OKAY THAT’S ALL FOLKS

[kcrabb88]

Making myself cry at midnight while drafting my own fic: 

Then, she’s alone outside Christine’s dressing room, the hustle and bustle of the opera house fading to an anxious buzz in her ears. She takes the single red rose out of its wrapping and knocks on the door.

For just a moment she’s transported back to all those months ago, when she stepped inside this room, and saw Christine again.

“It’s me, darling,” Raoul says. “May I come in?”

Christine calls out her assent and Raoul steps inside, shutting the door snugly behind her. Christine’s at the chair of her vanity, dressed for the opera, his opera, and Raoul wants to change the moment, she wants to make it about them, instead, even if only for a minute. Two. As long as she can.

“Christine Daae,” she says, blinking back tears as she holds out the rose. “Where is your red scarf?”

[timebird84]

🎄 PotO Advent Calendar ‘18🎄

Gifts of the Magi by @filthybonnet

Mlle Daae unlocked the door to her dressing room and entered before closing it behind her. She sat her bags on the chaise lounge and looked around. I know I only left one lamp on. The room felt different, comfortable for such a brisk December day. Christine walked over to her stove heater and opened the door. Sure enough inside was more wood causing a bright fire. She closed the door and smiled. He was here.

Christine walked over to her bags and from a simple brown shopping bag she removed a small sprig of mistletoe. A mischievous grin spread wide over her rosy cheeks as she pushed the ottoman in front of the full-length mirror. Still in her coat, gloves and red scarf she stepped up on and hung the greenery on the nail she nicely asked one of the stagehands to hang. She stepped down and observed her work as she took off her gloves and stuffed them into her coat pockets. She removed her coat and hung it on a coat peg just as there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” she called.

“Christine!” Raoul exclaimed. “Tis the season for celebration!” He walked up to her and lifted the red scarf up off of her and smiled, “Still keeping you warm all these years later, Little Lotte. I am here now though.” He pulled her into an embrace.

After a few seconds Christine pushed him away, “Raoul, please. I still have so much to do before rehearsal this afternoon.”

“Ah yes, Per la festività del Santo Natale. I cannot wait to see you as Devine Love. But before, I have a Christmas gift,” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a little box. He handed it to her.

Christine opened it with trembling hands. Inside was a white gold necklace with a beautiful white gold pendant with an oval sapphire surrounded by small diamonds. She gasped, “Raoul, I cannot accept this!”

“Yes, you can. I want you to wear to when you come with me to my brother’s Christmas ball. Do you want to try it on now?”

“No, no, it’ll ruin the surprise,” Mlle Daae closed the box, walked over to her vanity and sat it down. She unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and sat it on the vanity as well.

“Christine, you have hung your mistletoe incorrectly,” Raoul placed his hands on his sides and looked up above the mirror. “You will never be kissed with it hanging so. It goes in your doorway so I may kiss you upon every entrance!”

She turned around, her skirts rustling, “Oh no, Raoul!” She paused and collected herself, “If I put it there, then everyone will have to kiss me. You would not want to share me with the world, would you?”

Raoul cheeks turned red as he walked up to Christine and held onto her upper arms, “No, no not at all! It is horrible enough I have to deal with talk of your Angel of Music!”

Christine pulled herself away from him, “You said you wouldn’t talk of him like that!”

“Oh, Christine I am sorry, forgive me! I just despise the idea of having to share you, especially now at Christmas time! I want you all to myself, my personal Christmas gift.”

Christine sighed, “Raoul, you are being ridiculous! I am no one’s gift. If this is how you are going to think of me you can take your necklace and leave.” She picked the little jewelry box back up and pushed it back into his hands. “Good day, sir!” She sat down on the vanity chair facing away from him.

Tears formed the Count’s eyes as he turned around. He dropped the box on the chaise lounge, “I hope you change your mind.”

As soon as the door closed Christine put her head in her hands and let out a sob.

“Do not cry, My Angel,” A voice whispered from behind the mirror. “He is not worth the trouble.”

“Erik, have you been there the whole time?” She sat up straight.

“I came in half way through the conversation,” The mirror opened and The Phantom of the Opera stepped into the dressing room. “You do not intend to go to this Christmas Ball do you?” He placed his lanky fingers on her shoulders.

“Of course not,” Christine looked into her vanity mirror and at Erik’s reflection. “I have other plans. I have planned a Christmas dinner with Mother and all I have left is to extend the invitations.”

“Who are you planning to invite?”

Christine took a deep breath and stood. She took his hands into hers, “You, Erik.”

The soprano watched his golden eyes grow wide behind his mask, his knees began to shake, “Christine…I…I can’t.”

She tightened her grip on his cold hands, “Why not? She wants to meet my Angel of Music. She believes Christmas the perfect time.”

“You know exactly why I cannot!” He pulled away from her touch and sat down on the chaise lounge. “I do not belong in your world! She wants to see an angel not a monstrous man!”

Christine walked over to Erik and took his head to her chest. She ran her fingers through his thin hair and gently caressed his scalp, “She will not care. She wants to meet the man who gave me my voice, the man who won my love, the man who gave me this.” She removed her left hand from his head and held it in front of his eyes so he could see the ring he had placed on her finger. She then tilted his up to look at her, “If I am to be your wife, Erik she wants to know I am safe, that I will be taken care of.”

“Oh, but Erik will take care of his Angel,” The Opera Ghost wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her between his legs and closer to his body. “Erik is going to give Christine the world!”

“But Mother does not know that. Erik, please.”

There was a sudden knock at the dressing room door, “Christine we’re going to start warm ups early!”

“Having you at dinner would be the greatest Christmas gift ever,” she leaned over and kissed Erik gently. “Please consider it.” And with this Mlle Daae disappeared from her dressing room.

Dinner with Christine’s family? Dinner out in the world where I do not belong?  Erik turned and saw the little jewelry box sitting on the other side of the chaise lounge. He picked it up and his lanky fingers opened it. He tilted the box back and forth, the sapphire sparkling in the light. Sapphire: the stone of the pledge of love, the stone of new love. Foolish boy! He snapped the box shut.

***

Mme Valerius and Mlle Daae lost track of how many times they bumped into each other as they moved around their small kitchen.

“You are sure he is going to come?” Mme Valerius stirred the broth in the pot roast.

“Yes. I turned down the Christmas Ball just for this. This Christmas dinner is what I wanted, Mother,” Christine opened the oven door with her apron and looked at the baking bread.

“Are you sure? The Vicomte always comes by to visit. Your Angel lives in caverns and refuses to visit anyone.”

Christine slammed the heavy oven door shut, “Mother, he has lived his life in the shadows because he is a deformed man! He has never known kindness and love. It was easier for him to hide away than face ridicule. Even I who love him am not complexly comfortable with him without his mask yet. It is taking all his courage to do this for me.” She stirred the cooking carrots. “Please do not stare tonight and please accept that I will keep the lights low.”

***

The small table had an immaculate setting: Mme Valerius pulled down her fine china and Mlle Daae made a lovely center piece of holly, mistletoe and Spruce inside a vase. Both women sat silent in their best dresses anxiously awaiting a knock on the front door. Christine released a breath she did not realize she was holding when that knock came. Mme Valerius smiled as she watched the young woman practically jump from her chair and skip to the front door.

There Erik stood tall, in a crisp fresh suit, wrapped in cape with some snowflakes on the shoulders, his mask looked freshly polished and upon taking his top hat off there was a well combed black wig.

“Oh Erik,” Christine sighed as she smiled. “Merry Christmas.” She took his top hat from him and closed the door behind him. “You look so very handsome tonight…please do not take that the wrong way.”

“My Christine, who has shown me her soul, who has come to love the man behind the monster behind the mask. I shall forgive you the trespass of enjoying what Erik would look like with hair, especially when she is as beautiful as she is tonight.” He took her chin into his gloved hand and tilted it up towards his face.

She jumped up on tip toe so her lips could meet his. He was so cold but after a few seconds she could feel her warmth transferring to him as their kiss became more passionate. Erik heard the rustle of skirts and pulled away, knowing Mme Valerius had caught them. What an awful first impression!

Despite the blush on her face, Christine smiled and pointed above the doorway, “Mistletoe. I had to, Mother.” She then took Erik’s gloved hand into her and walked him over, “Mother, I would like you to meet my Angel of Music, Erik.”

Erik bowed, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mme Valerius. Thank you for having me this Christmas evening.” Once he stood back up, his other arm appeared out from under the cape holding a bottle of wine, “I hope it pairs with dinner.”

Mme Valerius focused her attention on the bottle of wine, “Christine, take that into the dining room. We will be in shortly.”

“Yes, Mother.” Christine took the bottle from Erik and gave him back his hat before disappearing into the other room.

Erik shifted his gloved fingers around the brim of his hat, “Christine gave you a warning about my deformities?”

“She did. God gave Christine the gift to see the beauty in all his creatures,” Mme Valerius finally looked up at Erik’s mask. “There must be a reason you were sent as her Angel of Music. Let me take your outerwear.”

Erik hesitated for a second before removing his gloves and putting them into his hat. He watched Mme’s eyes as she watched the graceful movements of the hand’s pale, almost transparent taught skin over its bony fingers. Even in the low light he saw the discomfort wash over her face. “Let me have my gloves back…”

“No, no. If Christine has seen your face, I can see your hands. Now let me have your cape.”

Erik handed her his cape and she hung everything up on the coat rack by the door. He watched her movements his heart pounding anxiously. The Opera Ghost knew getting this woman’s blessing was just as important as getting a father’s approval.

“My intentions with your daughter are pure,” the words fell out of his mouth. “I have lived a difficult and lonely life, Mme Valerius. All I have ever wanted was what was denied me: normalcy; a woman who loves me for me who I am and I can call her my wife. Then we can have a family, a home.”

“What about what Christine wants, M. Erik?” She replied. The elder lady crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Miss Daae dedicated her life to music and now that she finally has her moment in the sun do you expect her to give it up?”

Erik chuckled, “Are you really asking Christine’s Angel of Music if you think he’s going to request her to give up her career? A career he helped her build. Heavens no! My Christine must continue to sing for all of Paris!”

She smiled as she uncrossed her arms and walked passed him, “Come, we do not want dinner getting cold.”

The thin, tall man followed her into the dining room where Mlle Daae was anxiously rubbing her hands together. She had already opened the wine and poured it into glasses on top of filling each plate with food. She smiled, “Who wants to say Grace?”

***

Erik soon found himself more comfortable than he expected in the little house. The herbs in the stew danced on his tongue, the wine soothed his nerves, Christine held his hand under the table as Mme Valerius relayed a story of Mlle Daae’s youth. Erik laughed and she squeezed his hand in return.

“So you have never celebrated Christmas, M. Erick?” The old lady asked him.

Erik looked down at the table, “I have watched the seasonal operas from my box. I have watched others celebrate from afar, but having been abandoned by my family when I was young…” There were tears on the edges of his eyes.

“Perhaps we should move to the parlor and exchange gifts,” Christine stated. “We are your family now, Erik and you will celebrate the joy.”

Before they could stand, there was a knock at the door.

The elder lady removed her napkin from her lap and stood, “Top our glasses off, Christine, I will go see what that is about. Maybe we have carolers.”

Erik picked up the bottle of wine instead and poured into Christine’s glass, Valerius’ and then his. “Perhaps I should have brought more than one bottle?”

“It is okay, Erik. We have a couple bottles, though not as fine as this,” She arched her eyebrows as she lifted her cup and took a sip.

“Thank you for this, my Christine,” The Phantom lifted his hand up and brushed her cheek. His voice choked up, “This…this is all I have ever wanted…and…”

The moment was interrupted by the voices from the parlor.

“Vicomte! What could bring you out here on Christmas! Shouldn’t you be with your family?”

“I am here for Christine. Is she ready?”

“Ready for what, M. de Chagny?” The older lady closed the door to keep the cold out.

“The Christmas Ball, she informed you didn’t she?”

Mme Valerius sighed then she thought quick, “I am so sorry, sir did you not get the message? Christine is ill! She cannot make it tonight.”

“Oh Christine!” Raoul exclaimed. “Is she okay? Forget the ball! Let me see her at once!” He started heading towards the stairs.

“No!” Mme Valerius screamed.

Raoul turned around his eyes wide.

“No! The Doctor is with her and he said no visitors.”

The young man looked over her shoulder and saw the cape and top hat on the coat rack. There really was a doctor. He walked back to the door, “Please give Christine my love for a swift recovery. May I return later to visit?”

Mme Valerius nodded as she opened the door and saw Raoul out. She watched out the window until his carriage was out of her vision. She returned to the dining room where Christine and Erik both stood. Christine had both her hand wrapped around one of Erik’s thin arms as if to hold him back.

“Jesus forgive me lying on your birthday,” The old lady made the sign of the cross. “Christine, you cannot keep giving M. de Chagny hope if you love M. Erik and are to marry him.”

“Mother I do not!” Christine exclaimed. “You know how impossible he is!”

“Christine, I cannot handle much more of this…”

Erik saw his first Christmas celebration unraveling before his eyes. All over that damned boy!

“We can solve this now. Marry me tonight, Christine.” He heard the shake in his voice but said it anyway.

Christine looked at the ring on her finger as she held Erik’s arm. She then looked up at him. Could she really object?

“Tonight?” Mme Valerius gasped. “M. Erik not on the day of the Savior’s Birth!”

Erik nodded, “Tomorrow?”

“If that is so, come,” Christine took Erik’s hand and led him to the parlor. She guided him to an old chair that was next to a small Christmas tree that was next to banister. The only light in the room was the fireplace. He followed Christine’s wishes and sat in the chair. Branches and ornaments rustled as Christine bent under the tree and removed a small box. She stayed knelt in front of the tree and looked up at The Phantom; her eye’s sparkling, “Merry Christmas, My Angel.”

“Christine…” His shaking fingers wrapped around the box.

“Open it. If we are to wed tomorrow, I want you wearing them.”

He lifted the lid and inside was a pair of gold cufflinks with an onyx stone, “Christine, no.” He closed the box. “I do not want you spending what little money you have on me. I need nothing but you.”

She stood, smoothed her dress and reopened the box, “They were my father’s. One of the few fine things he owned outside of his violin. I never sold them, no matter how desperate I was for the money. My father promised me an Angel of Music when he died; well he turned out to only be a man. A man who can wear these.”

Tears ran down past where the mask covered his face. He closed the box and stuffed it into one of his coat pockets. He removed another little box from the other side of his coat, “And you will wear these tomorrow, My Christine.”

The soprano took the box and opened it. Inside were two beautiful gold combs adorned with pearls.

“I saw the necklace the Vicomte gave you and wanted you to wear tonight at his ball. Ostentatious and not you. These are you, my Christine.” He got out of the chair and walked over to Mme Valerius who stood in the threshold between the parlor and dining room, “I have a friend who I can get to bear witness tomorrow, but it would mean everything to Christine and I if would also be there to witness, Mme Valerius. Will you join us?”

Christine walked up and took the took the old lady’s hands into her, “Please, mother?”

The old lady nodded and smiled, “Yes. If it will make you happy and put an end to M. de Chagny’s nonsense.”

Mlle Daae squealed in excitement as she pulled her mother into a hug. “Thank you, thank you.” When she pulled away, she turned and pulled Erik into a tight embrace, “So tomorrow evening?”

“Yes, yes. Tomorrow night you will be my wife!” He bent down letting his lips passionately meet hers. Christine opened her mouth, making the kiss deeper, nipping at his bottom lip. Erik leaned into it, his soon to be Mother-in-law would just have to look away. Christmas was finally wonderful.

[general-sleepy]

[VIDEO DESCRIPTION: A tiktok by @hollyannehull with the caption: "Raoul but make it emo" and then a sparkle emoji. Someone knocks on a door. Holly Anne Hull (from behind the camera): "Come in!"

Rhys Darby, a lanky man with light skin and dark hair, walks in wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks. As he enters, he sings in an emo styles. Rhys: "Christine Daae, where is your red scarf!?" Both of them laugh. END DESCRIPTION]

“Cut my life into pieces. 🧣” (x)

[infernorp]

name: acel tremblay

age: twenty five

gender and pronouns: non-specifc non-binary, they/them preferred but he/him is acceptable

loyalty: neutral

occupation: personal assistant to mathieu reyer

criminal occupation: none

faceclaim: miles mcmillan

Your family could always afford the best, and they insisted on giving their child no less. In everything, they selected the best neighborhood in France for raising a safe family of privilege, sent you to the most elite schools, encouraged every hobby and every glimmer of talent, afforded every friend you made along the way with gifts which effectively bribed your peers into treating you well. And you were... happy. You didn't know any other way to be. You knew that they were trying so hard to keep you content, but you never knew joy. Your friends never truly loved you; they loved the way they were treated, the lifestyle into which they caught a glimpse when they were around you. And it was obvious. You could be in a crowd of people who had gathered just for you and still be lonely. But you were grateful. Always grateful. You loved your parents, loved your friends. You just didn't truly know who you were.

As you grew older, you began declaring yourself an artist. The title somehow felt right. But you were useless with a paintbrush, with charcoal, with a pencil. So your parents hid away the oil paints and the canvasses, bought you the most expensive cameras on the market instead, digital and instant and film. That was no good either. You overheard them on the phone with art curators trying to pay to get the photographs your teenaged little hands had taken into magazines. The cameras went in the garbage. You tried again with clay, with wood, with glass. All you got was splinters and burns and endless frustration; nothing even resembling a good sculpture came of that endeavor. But still, you were an artist, with your scarf tied around your neck and your beret. Someone suggested a different kind of art this time, and you tried. Dance classes, music lessons with instruments of all kinds, voice lessons, acting classes, improvisation classes. You fell to the bottom of each. This time, though, something was different. You could tell what you were doing wrong, even if you couldn't get it right. You could look around the room, eyes sharp and bright and alert, and listen to your instructors and know what your classmates should be doing, what the room should look like, what everything should sound like. Something clicked. You watched films, books with titles like How to Watch a Movie open in front of you, and everything made sense. Your parents were thrilled. The next school year, they finally enrolled you in the best performing arts school they could find, and you were a director now. You graduated, and moved on to college, spending double the amount of time to get two majors and two minors before moving on to the real world. And now, a university placed internship has found you at Le Théâtre de Nuit.

acquaintances: gigi destler, joseph buquet, kristos vallas, lucien rousseau, and rahim ahmadi

charges: baylen moreau, carlotta ciudicelli, christine daae, enzo durand, fleur renard, gregory renard, hadley perrin, lea jammes, lisette sorelli, meg giry, odessa faust, sebastian renard, ursula braun, and xavier carmen

employers: annabella chaney, erik destler, gabriel prideaux, gille andré, madalene giry, michel lefèvre, philippe chaney, raoul chaney, and richard firmin

MATHIEU REYER

Your boss. The only person Mathieu was able to personally hire in the entire company, as he doesn't even have an assistant director or choice of his choreographer or musical director. No, Mathieu hand-selected you and you only, pulled from the pile your meager little resume, typed up in the middle of the night on a computer in the school library while you were running on fumes and not much else, and called you in for an interview. It's obvious you weren't selected for your experience, since you have none. No, more likely you were the only person who could survive the veritable warzone that is the way he runs his rehearsals. You'll never really know how the cast takes it, as most of them seem much more fragile than you. And while this internship is only barely paid -- room and board in one of the ballet dormitories and a food budget -- it's more than anyone else in this area would give you. So you endure it. Even endure Mathieu himself, though the more you get to know him, the less awful you find him, as is the way with most people.

REMY BOURQUE

You understand each other, as the only PAs on the premises. Oftentimes the tasks your respective employers ask of you are obnoxious or ridiculous -- errandboys to old men who can't even use their expensive toys half the time, much less be bothered to get themselves coffee. And of course, being around the same age yourselves helps as well. You often find yourselves wandering from Remy's office outside of Michel's own quarters to Mathieu's worn seat in the back of the house and back again, back and forth until one of them needs something, which of course then you and Remy will go and get together unless there's circumstances preventing it. While Remy can be much louder than you'd personally prefer, she's the only other person in the theatre whose station in life is comparable to your own.

YVETTE MERCIER

It's funny; people often take you as a serious, no-nonsense type, but you're the strongest believer in energies that you've ever met. When it comes to Yvette, she shares quite the same energy as you, more than nearly anyone else in your life, past or present. You find you have in common the energy of a trapped bird; something beautiful which longs so desperately to be free. She's an artist just like you are, though in a different medium. You can sit and talk with her in your downtime for hours, helping as much as your clumsy hands can to paint the set pieces or mould props or give opinions as she sketches out stage designs and costumes. She has such an eye for these things, it's incredible. Were your heart a little harder, you could find yourself envying her. The door to your cage is wide open, you're just too comfortable where you are to fly beyond it. You wonder who holds the key to Yvette's cage; herself, or someone far away.

THIS CHARACTER HAS A FLEXIBLE FACECLAIM AND IS TAKEN BY RED

[summerb4jc]

I really enjoyed The Private Letters of Christine Daae, and I wanted to know if you had any personal headcannons about the characters in it? Just little quirks or traits that you had in mind when you were fleshing the characters out.

Thanks Anon! SORRY IT TOOK ME SEVEN TRILLION YEARS TO RESPOND. I started working two jobs back in January and fell off the Tumblr wagon for a good long while. But, just in case you see this, thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed the series!

To answer your question, there were a few headcanons/quirks I had in mind when playing Christine or fleshing out the other characters. Some were pulled from the book, some went with the modern day narrative.

For example, in the book, there is a line about Christine and Raoul as children. The two would gaze at the sea, and Christine (who was either short-sighted or far sighted) would claim to see nymphs, while Raoul, who had good vision, could not see them.

So Christine in my version would sometimes wear glasses in episodes where she was frustrated or exhausted, times when putting contacts in just wouldn’t be worth it.

With the red scarf, I felt like she would have kept something that was a symbol of her relationship with Raoul, and it appears in the background after she sees him for the first time at the Opera. She almost grabs it to throw over the camera the night of the Gala but changes her mind, and it disappears after Erik presents her with a ring. It served as a signifier of her relationship with Raoul, and her hopes for normalcy and a future.

I gave Erik a pretty detailed backstory suited for the modern era that the Persian goes into in the episode where he confronts Christine. I used the description to describe the character to the actor playing Erik.

Complete headcanon and something I was unable to show in my series was my location for the Phantom’s Lair. I actually did some research into the sewers, tunnels and underground rivers under NYC, and learned about a very elegant, art-deco subway platform that had been built in the 20’s or 30’s, and then abandoned and blocked off (I’m pretty sure) when more convenient routes were made available. So that’s where his lair is, in my head, accessible via sewers and tunnels that lead from the opera. In that vein, Raoul’s brother Philippe’s body was found in a sewer off-shoot some distance from the lair, rather than on the “banks of the underground lake near the Rue Scribe side.”

But yeah, those are some of the fun things I kept in mind when creating the series as a way to better understand the characters and their place in a more modern version of the story.

Thanks again, and I’m glad you enjoyed The Private Letters of Christine Daae!

[marleneoftheopera]

Christine Daae, where is your red scarf? More like Meg Giry, where is your right arm?

The principal Meg Girys of the Restaged Tour

Hannac Cadec, UK (Feb. 2012 to May 2013)

Hannah Florence, US (Nov. 2013 to Nov. 2014)

Morgan Cowling, US (Nov. 2014 to Oct. 2016)

Emily Ramirez, US (Oct. 2016 to Nov. 2018)

Sarah-Grace Mariani, US (Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2020?)

[teresadelallo]

"Christine Daae, where is your red scarf?" . My otp forevssss 😍😍😍 . . . #pencilandpaper #pencilsketches #pencildrawing #blackandwhite #traditionalart #graphite #christinedaae #raouldechagny #raoulxchristine #phantombroadway #phantomfanart #phantomoftheopera #couples https://www.instagram.com/p/BqGhgaMH1KH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wb7ouwr1uxfk

[thefantaoftheopera]

" Christine Daae... Where is your red scarf?" I drew a smol Raoul!