Meme for distraction reasons

 ⌆ a nervous tic or habit they do
This doesn't count as a nervous tic, but it bears mentioning: when frustrated, especially with someone else's trouble-making, Erik will slap his forehead with the flat of his hand. There's a really particular percussion to it, and a timing: it's quick, powerful and it doesn't linger. He never does more than one in a row. Otherwise Erik is remarkably good at keeping still. It is unusual that he is fidgety. If Erik is fidgety something is very wrong. Sometimes he clenches and locks his jaw, and has to consciously think about keeping it released.

⏀ describe their usual smile
First I have to think of when a smile usually happens. When does Erik smile? Is it when he's grimacing at someone nearby, hoping to get some point across or another? Is it when he has come up with some murderous scheme? Is it in delight when discovering something that does not bore him such as a new contraption or piece of music? One way or another, his smile will not look anything like the smiles of another, with lips such as he has and the mangled and crooked teeth. His cheekbones stick out profusely also, and it has been remarked that has the barest hint of a skull's smile at all times. Its just the set of his face. 

⇅ do they look up or down while thinking?
Down, unless what Erik is thinking can be summed up in the words, "Idiots, all of you!" Also forehead slap.

❧ describe their usual sleeping position
After sleeping so many years in a cot, hammock or coffin, Erik's gotten pretty accustomed to a very boring, face-up, arms at sides posture. Now that he's in a real (normal) bed, sometimes he finds it too liberating. He squeezes up to one wall and builds up the other side with pillows. He is actually considering returning to a coffin....

✑ describe something they like without naming it
A box that contains nothing. Curved and sinuous, of a dark chestnut color, hollow and empty, (except for the brief period where he took a bumpkin's advice and put rattlesnake bones in it. What a waste. AND they were hard to get out...). Erik likes to say that it was his father's before him, but when he reflects back on it, he is unsure where this item came from, or whose it was. It's of a unique make-- over all his travels he's never seen another like it, and the experts he's queried on the subject make educated guesses at best. Its has an unusual mother-of-pearl inlay near the slim, curved openings, and no visible makers mark. As for its designed purpose, the truth is its no Stradivarius. Erik has other, similar things for making perfect melody, but this particular box shall always be his favorite. Its voice evolved alongside his own--warm and subtle if sometimes a bit shallow or lacking resonance. Erik learned to make this item speak when he was himself learning to use his own voice, and to this day, he plays tricks where the masters voice and the voice from the box are indistinguishable from one another.

✜ what’s their posture like in a normal situation?
Erik is rigid in every situation where he is not completely and verifiably alone. Even when taking tea, he is wound tight as a drum and a hairsbreadth from springing into the shadows. His posture is impeccable, erect and unnervingly tall, especially for how skeletal he is.

❖ describe their hands
Long, thin fingers. Bony. They have a vague sickly-sweet odor. Quick and intelligent with muscle memory. Pale and grayish. The skin looks thin and veins dance on the back of his hands. Small calluses have formed on his fingertips, the crook of his thumbs and the medial side of the distal-intermediate joints of the middle fingers (the writer's callus.)

❞ write a quote they would find themselves saying
Erik loves him some William Blake. So many good ones but I've decided on this: "Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow."

§ how would their hair gray? or would they lose their hair first?
Erik has lost most of his hair by now. A couple of long dark locks are still attached to the back of his scalp. 

❤ describe how they show affection.
Erik's track record lends toward the obsessive stalker-type. I reason that one of the (many) reasons that its been hard for him to make friends is that Erik does a lot of spying on pretty much everyone he takes any interest in. Then he'll off-handedly mention some detail about the other person's life and this makes folks uneasy... 
"What, I wasn't meant to read that letter? But you threw it away..."
"You didn't clear your browser history, so its all perfectly fair that I know these things about you."
"See, I bought you this cake you've been curious about from the coffee shop that you go into every Tuesday and Wednesday from four-to-five in the evening and every Sunday morning when your parents think you are at church."
In the right circumstances, this obsessive attention to detail could be flattering. But for most healthy (read: not codependent) people, this is a sign of not-good-things...

✭ what is one of their favorite items?
Erik prefers items that are built to last. He deplores plastics and synthetics-- as far as household items are concerned, anyway. He's rather fond of his shoes: they are made of a fine leather, they are comfortable and they are silent. Also they're black so they match everything.

 

Another meme

This one will be much more difficult because some of these questions just. Don't. work with Erik. Or are obvious because: Cannon...

 1. Who was the first person this character fell in love with?
Probably a character in a book he read...
2. What brings tears to this character's eyes? Do they cry when sad? When angry? When in pain?
Erik cries all the damn time, but only alone if possible. Sad, yes, Angry, less often. In pain? Always.
3. Has this character had any past lovers? Who, if anyone in particular, and what happened?
Synopsis of Phantom of the Opera: Erik stalks a very young singer named Christine (who is probably a touch crazy herself) and convinces her that he is the Angel of Music. He gives her singing lessons and Paris goes ga-ga over her. Eventually he kidnaps her to his underground lair beneath the opera house. Shit gets awkward and then weird. Eventually he lets her go back to the surface world but she returns from time to time. In the meantime, her childhood sweetheart (who is way out of her league) is falling for her hardcore, but its okay because he'll be going on an Arctic expedition soon. Unfortunately, Erik starts to lose his shit just about the time that sweetheart decides maybe he won't leave Paris after all. Christine is caught in the middle, and decides that its too dangerous for her to stay there anymore. But Erik is totally stalking her ass, and he discovers that she plans to escape. He abducts her very dramatically, in the middle of the performance of Faust. Neither of them get any sleep for the next couple of days while he threatens to blow up the whole opera house unless she marries him. Foppy sweetheart and Exotic Ethnic Dude try to save the day and instead get themselves nearly killed. Christine saves everyone by promising to marry Erik, but after she consents, Erik loses his grip and lets everyone go and live happily ever after without him. 
4. Sexual orientation? And, regardless of own orientation, thoughts on sexual orientation in general?
I know a lot of people have Erik and the Daroga be lovers, but I just can't make my brain go there. Sex is such a complicated subject for Erik to begin with, its difficult for me to formulate a clear-cut answer about the idea of sexuality at all. Not that he doesn't have one, I just think it might not look very human from the outside vantage point. Erik is so sexual and passionate and has had to live in an incredible isolation for so long that I kind of feel like the normal ways we talk about sex just aren't going to be fruitful here. He doesn't care how other people get their rocks off. He knows that they do, and he knows how they do, but for the most part he just doesn't care.
5. Favorite beverage?
Burgundy
6. Physical abnormalities? (Both visible and not, including injuries, disabilities, long-term illnesses, food-intolerances, etc.)
It would actually be kind of great to just have an Erik face here going... "you're kidding right?"
Something not enough people have thought about, (and some of those who have have, have thought wrong) his sense of smell and taste might be a little affected, not because of a missing olfactory gland (because its just the cartilage that is missing) but because he constantly has to deal with sinus infections. Shit is getting trapped in his sinuses all day and all night. Plus he lives on a subterranean lake? WTF Erik.
7. How far did they get in formal education?
There was never any formal education. For ease of whatever we HAVE definitely decided that he has managed some kind of honorary doctorate by now. It just makes sense.
8. What is their favorite book genre?
Poetry or nonfiction.
9. What is their biggest regret?
fucking up the whole Christine thing. Maybe if He'd been just a teensy bit less insane, they would have bought a place out in the country and lived in solitude in the summers. Who knows.
10. Who do they see as their best friend? Their worst enemy?
The Daroga was probably his only friend for some time. Maybe Madame Giry, depending. Worst enemy? Usually someone in power who isn't running things as they ought.
11. Are they in love right now? Is it unrequited, or are their feelings returned?
He's....... taking a break after Christine
12. Is anyone in love with them? Do they know this, and is it requited?
I'm......... gonna go with no.
13. Given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?
Blueprints for a maze or house
14. Turn-ons? Turn-offs?
Ons: Soft voices, viols, lonesome sounds. Shadows or dappled light, the moon, the stars. Silks, furs. Riddles and poems. Music in general. 
Offs: Shrill noises, banal speech. Things that could be good but they're awful because of a couple of things that are wrong. Synthetics.
15. What does their bedroom look like?
he has currently eschewed the coffin, but is seriously reconsidering it as he prefers to sleep where he feels secure on all sides. He still likes the heavy drapery for blocking out any light and for sound muffling-- he needs to have the option to yell and scream and not be heard
16. Do they wear any makeup or fashion accessories on a regular basis?
Erik has a lot of experience with cosmetics, both from his background in the circus and in trying various putties to build his face up. Nowadays he probably just follows whatever dermatologist advice he's been given
17. How do they prefer to dress?
Elegant
18. If they were to have children, what kind of a parent would they be?
Terrified.
19. Do they have any daily rituals?
If every day isn't built of rituals, life becomes a long, winding dream. He keeps a specified schedule.
20. Addictions or bad habits?
the occasional happy pill. Not sure which one yet, although an opium derivative might make sense.
21. Hobbies?
Humans. Languages. Medicine/biology. Palmistry and horoscopes.
22. Religion, and how religious are they (if at all)?
Erik was raised in a mostly Abrahamic culture in one way or another, but hasn't really taken on the mantle of any religion. Mostly, he's in for the music.
23. Most cherished possession?
Violin that he grew up playing
24. How does this person express love?
Mostly by stalking...
25. Superstitions?
Hell yes. But they would be personal superstitions, rather than run-of-the mill black cats or whistling backstage or some nonsense.
26. Are they more analytical or more emotional in their decision-making?
Emotional. But he likes to think he's analytical because he's so smart.
27. Do they exercise, and if so, what so they do? How often?
He's got to. Climbing. Every night to spy on people or to get to some roof for fresh air.
28. What are their eating habits, and what's a sample daily menu of what they might eat in a day?
Erik isn't a great cook and never learned good table manners. he hasn't necessarily had ready access to good ingredients on a regular basis, either, so his meals are simple and probably over-sauced and over-seasoned. Also, you know. Sinus infections.... :-P
29. Are there any activities that they enjoy, but consider a waste of time?
Its hard for me to imagine Erik wasting his time. Like, this guy could turn candy crush saga into a complex practice engine.... So, I'm going with no.
30. Would you say that they have a superiority-complex? Inferiority complex? Neither?
Superiority
31. Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?
He's starting to wonder if he even can die. No, I can't say he's afraid. Erik has lived so close to death for so long its lost its horror
32. Is there anyone they admire? Who, and why?
Artists like (Vincent vanGogh or Antonio Gesualdo) who allowed their art to take priority over their sanity. Ascetics and some of the saints.
33. How would they choose to make a living (regardless of actual careers)?
Composer
34. How long would they last without human contact?
Decades
35. Do they want children? If they have children already, do they want any more?
Terror
36. Do they excel in any particular fields of study?
Some organic chemistry, lots of physics and engineering. Music, language
37. Is there anyone they miss or wish to reconcile with? Is there something they desperately want to ask?
If reconciliation were possible with Christine I think he'd die just thinking about it. What would he ask....? I don't know if he really has anything to ask her, actually.
38. If they had to, which of the five main senses (sight, smell, sound, taste, touch) would they give up?
As I said, smell and taste are already hindered a little
39. Do they have any soft spots?
Women, admittedly. (mommy issues)
40. Who would they want to have their last meal with?
All things considered, probably still Christine. Maybe Daroga.
41. What do they look for in a lover?
Erik never *looks*....  Love absolutely arrests Erik and takes him by surprise. He is forever a victim to his own passions, like a teenager. He is attracted to those that are both strange and kind.
42. Thoughts on privacy? (Are they a private person, or are they prone to "TMI"?)
omg so private. And a little paranoid. He covers all of his tracks and wonders why no one else does...
43. Above everything else, what is their worst fear?
Not being in control of a situation
44. What was their childhood like? Did they have a good childhood, or was it more traumatic?
TWAUMA
45. Do they express their thoughts through words or through actions?
Actions. He's kinda bad with words at the best of times.
46. What do they think of themselves?
Simultaneously righteous in thought and wrong in the world.
47. Do they keep any pets, and what is their favorite animal?
He once stole the Paris Opera's best horse. That was fun.
48. Who were their parents, or who raised them?
um, apparently the only thing he remembers of his mother was that she gave him his first mask. 
49. Do others listen to them, and how do they react when disobeyed?
I think that one of the reasons that Erik has consistently adopted a stalker personality is because he has serious trouble being taken seriously. If something is really special about the voice that is speaking... whether in encrypted notes or disembodied singing or subtly reminding you that he knows everything there is to know about you.
50. If this person were to get into a fist fight, what would their fighting style be like?
Punjab lasso comes to mind.  A lot of dodging and retreating to shadows, waiting to pounce.