Drabble Prompts | Not Accepting | ĹAFAK: the first skylight seen during dawn or just before the sun rise.
Nadir lived for sunrises, lived for them knowing that eachbrought with it a new day. Each banished not only the darkness of the sky, butthe darkness lingering at the frayed edges of his mind. He stood upon thebalcony and watched as pink and orange glow cascaded over the white buildingsup and down the Rue de Rivioli.
âYou havenât slept since I came to your home,â a musical andmelancholy voice said from the doorway of the balcony. âPerhaps it is best-â
âDonât be ridiculous,â Nadir snapped. It was a stale,week-old argument; one he was unwilling to have, lest it spoil his perfectsunrise. âI have always enjoyed sunrises.â
The truth was more complicated than that, but the formerDaroga of Mazenederan didnât dare untangle the knots in his heart. He didnâtwant to know which feeling was true and which was false: gratitude that helived to see another day or despair that he knew in his bones that he wouldsoon return to watching dawn rise alone; a love for sunrises or a longing foran eternal and glorious sunset. Nadir looked skyward and waited for Erik toretreat back into the apartment. Instead he heard footsteps approach him âdeliberate sound, no doubt, as Erik so easily moved on silent feet â and thenhe felt heavier air and breaths above his left shoulder. Even after all theyears and miles and anger between them, it was amazing that Erikâs presence didnot unnerve Nadir. This was a man who had killed â who had nearly killed Nadirbut a week ago â but whose sins he could not only forgive, but acquit.
âDo you think she enjoys the sunrise as you do, Daroga?âErik asked.
There was only one unspoken âsheâ between them. Nadirinhaled sharply and shut his eyes. He imagined Christine Daae upon a hotelbalcony in some foreign land. Perhaps she was Christine de Chagny now, perhapsher husband hovered at her left shoulder. The shuddering exhale shook Nadirâsbody so violently that he gripped the railing for support.
He didnât have to imagineChristine upon a balcony, waiting for daylight. Heâd been doing the same thingfor a number of decades. Erik had the astonishing ability to make one fall morein love with the sun than they ever thought possible.
âI wish you enjoyed the sunrise,â Nadir said instead. Hetwisted his hands around the wrought-iron railing. âLook at it, Erik. Today isa new day â for all of us. For you,too.â
A scoff. A breeze where Erik formerly was. Nadir tore hiseyes from the lightening sky to see that Erik had moved across the balcony, ifonly to languidly drape himself over the rail and stare not at the sky, but atthe roofline of the city.
âI see why you enjoy sunrises alone,â he said. âI always thought you a sentimental fool, butthereâs no need to be maudlin.â
Nadir, usually so peaceful, so skilled at taking Erikâscriticism in stride.
âI hope Christine Daae enjoys the sunrise even more than Ido,â he said venomously. âI hope she enjoys it with her husband at her side and without wondering whatâs become of the manwho would have stolen her every sunrise from now until eternity.â
Nadir expected Erik to lunge at him, to throttle him, tothrow him off the roof. But instead, Erik stood straight and looked him in theeyes. In the brilliant sunrise, Erikâs eyes sparkled with ambers and oranges ofthe brightest fires. And yet there was something immeasurably sad and smallabout him â about his spirit â as hit rose up into those eyes in the form oftears.
âI hope so, too,â he murmured. âBelieve me, Nadir, I hopefor nothing more now.â
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