Beyond your Imagination (Raoul Christope)

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

Christine gave a warm smile at Raoul's response. “I missed you too, Raoul. And yes, I would like that very much, but...” she paused a moment in hesitation before continuing n with her thought. “As much as I'd love for things to be exactly how they were... I'm not really certain how much they can be like before. I mean... we were just children at the time! Of course we'll always be friends, but... I think maybe we need a bit of time... you know, to get to know one another again.”

She shrugged a little, giving hopeful smile. She really had missed him, and she cared for him very deeply, but they'd only met again for two days now! She needed time to become reacquainted. After all, so much had happened to both of them within the span of those five years. “What do you say we use this dinner for just that?” She took his arm and looked up at him, waiting for his reply. She couldn't help but to laugh a bit though when he called her 'Miss Daaé,' “Why the formalities? If we're ever going to be like before, we really should simply call each other by name...”

[Raoul Christophe de Chagny]

Raoul nodded in agreement. “You’re right of course.” They both had changed, obviously. He wanted to tell her that his heart hadn’t, but he refrained. He had been too young to realize what it was that he’d felt at the time, but he knew now that it had been love. Why else would he have been thinking of her every waking moment? He’d do anything for her, of that he was sure. If she wanted more time for them to make up for the last five years of separation, he would gladly give it to her.

He smiled back at her, laying his hand over hers briefly. “That’s exactly what I had in mind the night of the gala performance. It’s been so long since we’ve last seen each other—and I have plenty of stories to tell about the Navy, if you’d like to hear them. He cocked an eyebrow at her laughter and then smiled bashfully. “I’m sorry…I suppose old habits are rather hard to kick—do you remember I had trouble with that when we first met?”

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

“I'd love to hear them!” she said with a rediscovered cheer. “You know how much I love stories...”

It was true! She'd loved them as a child, and she still loved them even now. She had no trouble in accepting fairytales and fantasies – after all, she was still a child at heart. Of course, Raoul's stories of the navy would likely not be like the fairytales they'd listened to and adored as children, but she was still quite fascinated with the prospect of hearing them.

When she saw his bashful smile, she took his hand and gave it a reassuring little squeeze. “I remember,” she giggled. “I suppose I'll just have to help you get used to it again. Remember how you had to help me get used to the exact opposite? I came over to your house for dinner and called your brother by his first name” She shook her head laughing at the memory. “You nobles and your silly, unnecessary formalities...”

[Raoul Christophe de Chagny]

Raoul chuckled at his friend’s enthusiasm. “You haven’t heard my stories. Are you quite certain they’d interest you?” He didn’t want to bore her, that was the last thing he’d want. And he’d never really considered himself a master storyteller.

He was excited and apprehensive for their impending dinner. It would be the first chance for him to get to know the woman he’d fallen in love with—despite his infatuation with perhaps the idea of her, he really knew nothing of how much she had changed. What he did know had been told to him, and the closest thing he’d come into contact with since the last time they’d actually seen each other was the future version of her, which is what he feared her becoming. Of course to prevent that from happening, he needed to make sure he didn’t succumb to the vices of gambling and alcohol. So far he had no problem with either.

He glanced over at Christine—as he’d been staring straight ahead as they walked—when she took his hand. He faltered a moment because he still wasn’t used to the contact, but smiled. “Yes, I do remember. He was so shocked, I don’t think he knew what to make of you.” he chuckled but then his eyes widened and he backpedaled, realizing that his comment might have sounded offensive. “He…I don’t think he liked me mingling with anyone who wasn’t a member of the aristocracy. I mean, I know he didn’t. Doesn’t. But it doesn’t matter what he thinks.” he said dismissively. He feigned indignation at her comment about the nobility. “There are some useful formalities that we have…”

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

((I’m speeding them through a little to at least get them upstairs so she can change and they can actually be on their way to the village to eat sushi before Misty decides that fish are friends, not food XD And question! Were you planning on having him propose to her at the Secret Santa? O.O *stares at thread wondering*))

“You know I’ve always been one to find amusement in the strangest of places,” she replied with a smug little coquettish grin. “And I’m sure they can’t possibly be that dull…” Her grin changed to a little pout. “If they are, then I should consider myself a failure. After all, I worked far too hard at making you fun to have the navy undo it all.”

She listened to him as he continued on about his brother after she recalled his reaction to her calling him by his first name. He was laughing at first, though then he suddenly seemed like he’d regretted making his statement. She forced a smile onto her face and gave a dismissive chuckle. “No, no.. it’s all right. I guess I just… never was cut out to be nobility, huh?” She laughed a little before shaking her head and walking ahead a few steps.

However, when he made his comment about some of the formalities being useful, she stopped. It wasn’t because she was offended at all by his statement, or felt the need to say some deep and heartfelt sentimental spiel about the subject… she’d just realized that in her trying to dismiss everything, she had begun moving ahead… and she really had no idea as to where she was going. She turned back toward him and gave a sort of uneasy attempt-to-cover-up-the-awkward-moment chuckle. “Like what sort of formalities?” she asked, walking back toward him and then turning on her heel to face front again, holding a hand out in a gesture for him to continue. “After you…”

The rest of the way, she made sure to walk with him, clinging to his steps as they moved through the house, so she would not end up getting lost. The mere size of the place was astounding in and of itself, but combine that with the maze of hallways and one had an instant recipe for losing one’s way – especially if it were their first time there.

After a bit of walking though, they came upon a long narrow corridor with doors lining both sides and little name plates on each and every one of them. One name plate in particular caught her eye…

Christine Svenna Daaé…

“That’s weird,” she mused aloud, looking at the thing in curiosity. And then, she giggled a bit, pointing it out. “Look, Raoul! That door has my name on it. Imagine that…”