"Understudy?" The conductor, Castor, snapped, turning to face the members of the opera house. "There is no understudy for 'La Carlotta'!"

"Teito Klein could sing it, sir." Mikage murmured. Next to him, Teito frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"A chorus boy?" Andre, one of the new owners asked. "No, don't be silly."

"Let him sing for you, monsieur. He has been well taught." Madame Ouka, spoke up, raising her chin almost defiantly.

"Very well, then." Castor murmured, defeated, and took his spot before the orchestra once more. "From the beginning of the aria then, monsieur."

Teito glanced around nervously, then stepped up to center stage. He took a deep breath, hearing the music play, knowing when he would be queued in…

"Think of me…think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye~" The words fell from his mouth effortlessly after months upon months of watching Carlotta practice, watching the diva memorize her lines.

As if by some sort of magic, the scene changed. The opera house was full with an excited, cheering audience. The large spotlight that the theater reserved for their divas, for Carlotta, was shining brightly on Teito, almost blinding him.

"We never said, our love was ever green, or as unchanging as the sea. But if you can still remember, spare a thought for me~" Somewhere in the audience, Teito knew that Hakuren was watching, memories of a childhood long since forgotten flooding his mind.

"Is this so…that can't be Teito…"He murmured, standing up. "Bravo!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Teito saw the blonde standing up and cheering him on, and smiled. The words continued to spill from his lips, seemingly on their own, until the song was over. There were no more words, was no more music. The crowd was standing and cheering and clapping, Teito was bowing.

Somewhere from deep within the opera house, beneath all of the floors, all of the cheering, stood the tall, dark figure clad only in black, watching his student with the most approving expression. Somewhere in his eyes, thought, that old want, old desire still burned. "Brava, brava, bravicimi…"

--

Teito was bowed in front of the large memorial to his father, praying beside his lit candle, the folds of the large dress providing more than enough cushion from the cold, damp ground, when Mikage found him.

"Where in the world, have you been hiding. Really you were, perfect. I only wish I knew your secret. Who is this knew, tutor?"

Teito smiled softly, softly standing up from in front of the small alter, and walked across the room slowly, Mikage on his tail. Distantly, he heard himself explain the tale of the Angel of Music. The angel who was his tutor, his friend, his father…

His mind was already back in his dressing room, waiting for the angel to begin singing songs in his head as he drifted off to sleep. He could feel the concern emanating from Mikage, and he allowed himself to snap back into reality to explain everything away.

"Your face, Teito, its white."

"It frightens me."

"Don't be frightened…"

--

"Little Lottie let his mind wander." Hakuren murmured, walking into the dressing room and placing the flowers he had brought on a table. Teito grinned into his mirror, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Little Lottie thought, 'Am I fonder of dolls, or of goblins or shoes?'"

"I remember that, too." Teito murmured. In answer, Hakuren came over and placed his hands gently on either of the brunette's shoulders.

"Or of chocolates?"

"Father playing the violin." He whispered, turning away from his mirror to look at the blonde.

"As we told each other dark stories of the north." Hakuren finished. He smiled and squeezed Teito's shoulders, then walked around behind him and opened the door.

"You must finished getting dressed. I've ordered my coaches; we will be joining my partners, your managers, for a celebratory dinner."

"Hakuren, I can't." Teito said, turning and looking at him, concerned. "The angel of music is very strict."

The blonde only chuckled and continued out the door.

"Hakuren!"

"Two minutes, Little Lottie."

--

"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion, basking in your glory!" The cry resounded throughout Teito's dressing room, and the brunette looked up, surprised. "Ignorant fool! This brave, young suitor, sharing in my triumph!"

"Angel, I hear you speak. I listen." Teito whispered, fear shooting through him to be immediately replaced by awe. "Stay by my side, guide me. Angel my soul was weak; forgive me. Enter at last, Master."

"Flattering child you shall know me; see why in shadow I hide. Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!"

Teito began wandering over to his mirror, entranced by this phantom's voice, trying his best to pay attention to the notes he was hitting and not the words he was singing.

His mirror wasn't there. All of a sudden, it was a black, gloved hand, reaching out to him. Beckoning him forward to what Teito knew was against the rules and what he should stay away from, but also what he found completely irresistible.

Gently, almost hesitantly, he pressed the palm of his hand against the cold leather of the glove and allowed this cloaked, mysterious figure to lead him forward, away from the security of his room. Away from the security of Hakuren's omnipresent voice, his touch. Away from the security of his life, and into the dark, mysterious world of the Opera Ghost's.

"In sleep, he sang to me…" Teito began singing, if only for the soul purpose to pleasing his teacher. He knew how this phantom loved to hear him sing, and what better than a song about the Phantom himself? "In dreams, he came."

The Phantom turned and looked at Teito, fixing his gaze on the boy's green eyes. Teito found himself lost in deep, churning seas of blue as he returned the gaze, unwilling to look away but finding himself glancing back anyway.

"Sing once again with me, our strange duet. My power over you, grows stronger yet. And though you turn from me…to glance behind, the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind." He replied, leading Teito to a small boat, which they each mounted quickly.

They continued through their odd exchange, Teito singing to his Phantom, the Phantom singing back to Teito. Once they ran out of words to exchange, Teito found himself shooting through as many octaves as he could manage, knowing that the higher his pitch, the more please the Phantom would be.

Finally, they came to the Phantom's dungeon. His cave, his home, his retreat; whatever you wanted to call it, every time Teito saw it he was struck with awe. Here he was, he told himself, in the company of the greatest musical genius he had met, in the most beautiful, underground setting he could imagine.

The Phantom let his cape fall to the ground, revealing a white, flowing poet's shirt and tight, black riding pants. He turned to Teito, who was still sitting in his translucent, white slip, staring up at him in wonder.

Slowly, he reached down and took Teito's arm, pulling him up out of the boat. The brunette stumbled against the other's chest, but the Phantom caught him and righted him, smiling almost a little insanely.

"Night time sharpens; heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination…" He sang, luring Teito deeper into his darkness.

The brunette watched his teacher, the Phantom intently, only half listening to his words. It wasn't as if he had to be lured any further; as if there was any more musical seduction that needed to take place. He was already exactly where the Phantom wanted him; exactly where he wanted to be.

The Phantom took one of his shoulders and spun him around, still holding one of his hands, and pulled him against his chest. "Floating…falling…sweet intoxication. Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation…"

The ghost's wandering hands familiarized themselves with Teito's chest and his neck as they ghosted across his skin, the cold leather raising goose bumps along his collar bone.

The next thing Teito knew, he was opening his eyes to the imagine of himself, dressed in a large, full wedding gown. The likeness between himself and this manikin was frightening; so much so, in fact, that the boy passed out, succumbing to his own darkness, the last thing he was fully aware of being his teacher's strong arms supporting him and carrying him, wedding style, to a bed tucked into one of the hidden rooms of the cave.

--

Hakuren and Teito walked down the long, gorgeous front hallway of the opera house, dressed en costume for the theater's annual Masquerade Ball. Teito clutched the ring that hung from a chain around his neck, smiling up at the blonde.

"Think of it, a secret engagement. Look, your future bride. Just think of it." He whispered.

"But why is it secret? What have we to hide?" Hakuren whispered back, leading them into the main room. "What are you, afraid of?"

"Let's not argue." Teito whispered back, Hakuren hanging onto and even repeating his every word. "You will understand in time~"

They began a spiral towards the center of the floor, Hakuren leading them in the dance that the orchestra was providing for them. Beside them, Mikage swirled past with his date, and Madame Ouka and hers. Carlotta and Piangi were perched on the staircase, looking very falsely regal.

But suddenly, the music took on a very dark tone. The light in the room was immediately drained, leaving only flickering candlelight and dancing shadows. And, perched on the staircase just higher than Carlotta and Piangi, Teito recognized the silhouette of the Phantom. Singing ceased, dancing stopped, and when the brunette glanced to his right for some sort of support from Hakuren, he was gone.

"Why so silent, good monsieur's? Did you think that I had left you for good? Did you miss me good monsieur's? I have written you an opera! Here, I bring the finished score. Don Juan Triumphant!" He began descending the stair case, looking at everyone in turn.

"I advise you to comply; my instructions should be clear. Remember there are worse things than a shatter chandelier." He descended a few more steps until he was standing in front of Carlotta, Piangi, Andre, and Fermin. "First Carlotta must be taught to act, not her normal trick of strutting round the stage. Our Don Juan must loose some weight; its not healthy in a man of Piangi's age. And my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not in arts.

"As for our star, Mr. Teito Klein. No doubt he'll do his best, its true his voice is good he knows but should he wish to excel. He has much still to learn. If pride could let him return to me, his teacher…his teacher…" He walked down the remainder of the stairs, coming to a stop in front of the brunette. His gaze was soft, but his eyes soon fell on the large diamond, and he snatched it, along with the chain, off the boy's neck.

"Your chains are still mine." He hissed. "You belong to me."

--

"You must star." Hakuren murmured. "He cast you with the lead role; if you do this, he'll surely attend. We can have police ready, and he'll never bother us again."

Teito sighed, glanced out the window of the coach in which they were riding. "Hakuren…" He shook his head.

--

"Past…the point of no return." The Phantom sang, coming dangerously close to Teito. The brunette let his eyes slip shut, leaning his head back, intoxicated by his mere scent. "No backwards glances. Our games of make believe are at an end~"

Was it safe to say that Teito was barely paying attention to what he was supposed to be doing? Yes. Was it safe to say that, in all likelihood it would be because of him that Hakuren's plan would fail? Yes. But how, he asked himself, could be betray this man? For anything?

The music slowed down, and the Phantom stopped singing. Teito opened his eyes slowly, glanced around him, remembered what was going on. That this must be his queue to begin. To put the second part of this whole ordeal into play.

"You have brought me…" He sang softly, not having to fake the torn expression that was displayed on his face. "To that moment where words run dry…to that moment where speech disappears into silence~"

He knew this words so well. He had practiced it so many times that he knew at which point in the song he should move to the structure on the stage that served as their "bridge." At which point he and his Phantom would duet, and at which point he planned to deviate from the script and tear that disgusting mask from the other's face. He had it planned out so well.

So after crossing the threshold of the structure, after being in such a close proximity to his Phantom that Teito began to loose awareness of what was going on in the world outside of them two, he executed his plan.

He tore the mask from the blonde's face to reveal absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. The half of his face that the brunette had been denied so long was as symmetrical as the other; deep blue eyes, sharp, angular cheekbones, perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Teito." He whispered, almost angrily, and sliced a rope that previously Teito hadn't even noticed was there. The plunged downward, falling through the floors and onto a firm yet soft surface; a mattress. From above, Teito could hear the confused murmurs of the audience wondering where they had gone.

Looking around, he realized that they had escaped immediately to the Phantom's cave. It was still as mystical as the last time he had been there; lit by dim candlelight, shadows dancing in the deep corners of the large, open space.

"Frau." The Phantom murmured, staring at Teito. His expression was hardly as angry as he sounded, and the brunette was rather unsure how to respond.

"Um…I'm sorry?"

"My name. Its Frau." He clarified. He stood up and offered his hand to Teito, who took it, and pulled him up. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other, until Teito hesitantly reached up and brushed the tips of his fingers against Frau's cheek.

"Frau." The short name fell from his lips, sweeter than any of the songs he had yet to sing. The moment was so perfect for him, in its imperfection. Without any conscious idea of what he was doing, exactly, he leaned up on his toes, Frau leaned down, and their lips brushed together.

The moment was too brief, because in that second, the sound of someone calling Teito's name resounded throughout the underground residence. The brunette fell back on his heels, his face flushed, and Frau looked in the direction in which the call had resounded with an irritated expression.

Hakuren appeared at the large gate that blocked off the one part of the lake from the part that was actually intended for living. He looked desperate, but his face lit up immediately at the sight of Teito, flustered but unharmed.

"Let me see him!" He yelled at the Phantom, angry. "Open this gate!"

Frau snorted at glanced down at Teito curiously, a hand settling on his shoulder. Teito took notice of how warm his hand was; of the security that he felt in this particular touch that he had never felt in Hakuren.

He opened his mouth to speak, but found that no sound came out. He tried to answer that he shouldn't have to make this decision, but when he tried harder to speak, at that came out was a small squeak. He let his mouth close along with his eyes, focused on the delicious feeling of Frau's hand on his shoulder, tried to imagine that same hand curiously roaming across the contours of his body, and shook his head.

"Teito." Hakuren murmured. "He…he's brainwashed you! I love you! And…and you love me!"

Teito just continued to shake his head, and Frau slowly pulled him against his side, offering the comfort of a full embrace. Teito pressed his face against the blonde's chest and felt him chuckle half triumphantly, half at Hakuren's desperate cries.

"Teito! I…I know you! You would never choose this monster over me!" He slammed his fist against the wrought iron gate, but neither Teito nor his Phantom budged.

It was moments before Teito was able to bring himself to pull away from Frau and glance at the gate, but by that time Hakuren was gone. He watched longingly, half hoping that Hakuren would return, half glad that he had finally been left alone with Frau.

"I think you made the right choice." Frau whispered.

"I know." Teito replied, turning back to the blonde, eyes darting to the room in which he had slept the last time he was there before returning to the Phantom. "Will they find us here?"

Frau only shook his head, took another step towards Teito and placed that same hand on that same shoulder. It didn't take very much for him to be very, very persuasive.

Teito took that last step forward and leaned up, this time pressing his lips against Frau's and wrapping his arms around neck, pulling him down. Frau cooperated easily, wrapping his arms around Teito's waist and pulling him against his chest.

When they parted, the brunette leaned forward and nuzzled the blonde's shoulder affectionately, letting himself be lost in this new world. In the Phantom's world.

"You know I love you, don't you, Teito?" Frau sang softly.

"Mmhmm." Teito murmured, sleepiness taking over his conscious as he fell more deeply into his Phantom.