Gilbert and Antonio walked arm in arm to the changing rooms. They had been friends since they were kids and always spoke openly to each other.

"Hey Gilbert."

"What?"

"You know the masquerade that is coming up?"

Gilbert nodded. "Yeah."

"I-I want to ask Lovino to go with me."

Gilbert's step faltered and he laughed. "He's gonna say no."

Antonio got a hurt look. "Come on. Be positive. I was going to ask him at dinner by starting a casual conversation and saying some cheesy pickup line and ask him out. He can't refuse this." he waved dramatically at his body. "I am so sexy I turn straight men gay and lesbian girls straight."

Gilbert shook his head. "We all know I'm sexier. Fine you want to ask Lovino out be my guest, but make sure I'm there so I can see the epic shouting match that is sure to happen."

Antonio smiled. "All right, let's do it."

Gilbert could not stop his grinning as he watched Antonio make his way over to the antisocial conductor. This was going to be better than watching Ludwig try and explain his porn addiction.

xXx

Lovino watched everyone in the room as he drank heavily from a wine glass. He was fuming because of the letter he had received earlier. Ludwig and Feliciano finally announced their engagement and he had to travel back to Italy to be with the family. Right, he thought to himself, the family that never liked me.

His eyes drifted back to the door waiting for...ah, there he was. His spirits lifted and he almost smiled except for the fact that Gilbert, that potato loving bastard #2, was grinning and trying not to laugh and Toni looked...nervous. Antonio never looked nervous.

Instead of smiling he greeted Antonio as he usually did, with crossed arms and a glare. "What do you want tomato bastard?"

Toni smiled and took the empty seat next to him. "I wanted to ask you something because we are friends right?"

Lovino glared at him and took a sip of his wine. "We are not friends."

Antonio looked heartbroken for a second before his confidence returned and he was smiling like his old self. "That means we are more than friends right?" he raised his eyebrows.

Lovino choked on the wine he was drinking. "WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT NOW BASTARD!"

Antonio grabbed his hand making the heat rise to his face. "Don't run away before I ask!" Lovino gripped his wine so hard his hand was trembling and on the floor his foot tapped impatiently. Antonio swallowed a lump in his throat. Damn he was hot. "I wanted to ask you if you would go to the masquerade with me."

Shock and anger burned onto Lovino's face. "OF COURSE NOT!" Everyone in the dining room turned to look at the dramatic rejection. All the people who worked at the opera house agreed that the two should really get together and considered them boyfriends even if they didn't see it themselves or, more specifically, that Lovino didn't see it.

Antonio's face was shocked, at first, then a shadow fell over his usually cheerful expression and he took on a desperate wounded look. Lovino had hurt him. His voice was barely louder than a whisper. "Why not? Lovino I love you, can't you see? And even if you don't return my feelings can't we just go as...friends." The word friends got stuck in his throat and you could tell it physically hurt him to say it.

Lovino stood. "I think I should go." Antonio opened his mouth to say something, but closed it; resignation written all over his face. Lovino pushed his way past the guests and slammed the door behind him.

The performers turned to look at Antonio, but Gilbert shot them a glare and they looked away trying to act as though they didn't see what just transpired. Gilbert ran to his friend. "Toni, are you okay?"

Antonio's face hardened. "No, I'm not. I'm gonna go, Gilbert. See ya later." He stood and dragged himself to the door making sure that he shut it with as much care as possible.

Gilbert stood a little stunned for a second before the room erupted into conversation. It was time to go and get changed; there was no reason for him to stay any longer.

xXx

Madame Hedervary was in Gilbert's changing room placing the many, many roses that the crowd had given him where ever she could. "I should burn these flowers." She mumbled to herself. "I really should. He would never like these."

Gilbert closed the door silently. Madame Hedervary continued to talk to herself. "I mean, who would want so many flowers anyway? I should give a bouquet to Antonio, he would love to give them to Lovi. Where did so many flowers even come from anyway?"

"Hi Elizabeta."

Madame Hedervary jumped and whirled around. "Oh, Gilbert it's you. I was about to go all kick ass on whoever called me that. Because only family is allowed."

"Yes, I know."

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You did wonderful tonight. Oh!" She searched through the roses and came out with a simple red rose with a black silk ribbon tied to it in a neat bow. "He is pleased with you."

Gilbert's heart stopped and he reached out a shaking hand to take the rose. It was simple, yet elegant. Just like him. Gilbert thought. So, was this all real and not an illusion like Antonio said it was? Gilbert tried to make sense of what he was feeling, but his heart was too jumbled to make sense of just at the moment.

"I'll leave you alone then."

Elizabeta gave him a kiss on the cheek which made him flush a bright pink. "Hey!"

She giggled and left him alone holding the rose. The rose. It was like a dead body. He wanted nothing to do with it, but at the same time it intrigued him. He sat down at the vanity station and fingered the petals. Slowly he raised it to his face and smelled the petals in total contemplation. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the man that had entered the room.

"Gilbert."

Gilbert opened his eyes and looked into the vanity mirror which reflected the intruder. "Matthew?!" He cried in astonishment.

Matthew looked surprised to be remembered at first then his face broke out into a grin. "You remembered." Gilbert launched himself from his seat and crushed his childhood friend in a hug who patted his back weakly. "Can't. Breath." He gasped.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sorry." He pulled away and held the Canadian at arms length. "How are you here? I haven't seen you in forever! Have you become famous? Do people still forget who you are?" He babbled on and on while Matthew waited patiently for him to finish.

Gilbert trailed off and looked at him expectantly. "Are you quite finished?"

"Yeah." Matthew didn't say anything. "This is the part where you respond."

Matthew looked at him incurliously before laughing. Gilbert's heart lurched. He looks so beautiful when he smiles. He thought, his smile growing. "I'm sorry, Gilbert. Where to begin?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well here's the short story: I have been very successful and am now the new patron of this theater."

Gilbert's mouth fell open in shock. "No way."

"Umm, you don't believe me?"

"What? No! That's not what I meant at all!"

Matthew still looked confused. "So you do believe me?"

"Hell yes!"

Matthew gave a small smile. Damn he was adorable. "You haven't changed."

"Do you remember how we used to play up in the attic?"

They both smiled at the memory. Matthew picked at his cuff. "With your father playing the violin as we ate chocolates and told dark stories of the north. Yeah I remember."

"No, but what I loved best was when the angel of music sang songs in my head." Gilbert said face glowing in the past. "My father said that when he was in heaven he would send down the angel of music." He gazed at Matthew seriously who in return backed away nervously. "My father is dead, and I have been visited by the angel of music."

Matthew nodded. "No doubt of it, you sang like an angel tonight." His face turned a slight shade of pink. "There is so much about you that I don't know. I would like to continue this conversation over, your favorite,...pancakes and perhaps make up for some lost time."

Gilbert's heart sped up and his stomach did flip flops. But then he remembered that his teacher would want to meet with him tonight. "Matthew I would love to, but the angel of music is very strict."

Matthew stared at him before giving a small chuckle. "Well I shan't keep him waiting." He opened the door. "I'll call a carriage. Two minutes, Gil bear." He started to leave.

"Matthew wait!" But the door had shut and he was already gone.

xXx

A man watched this entire exchange through the mirror in the changing room. It was a secret passageway he had barely used because the only performer who ever used it was the pig, Francis. But now his beloved Gilbert was occupying it for the time being and that meant that he was going to be using this passage way more often. So far he thought the childhood friend was an...inconvenience who would have to be disposed of. It was clear to him that the fool was in love with Gilbert, but it was just as obvious that they where prepared to go to different lengths to gain his love. In his case, he was willing to do anything.

"Matthew wait!" Gilbert yelled after him. That asshole! He couldn't help, but thinking as he dashed through the secret tunnels that could take you basically anywhere through the opera house. He should really be more considerate. I'm gonna kill that fool. The man smiled as he thought about his rope slipping so easily over his head and squeezing the life from his veins as his eyes stared into his begging, begging. Just like the gypsy, The man thought angrily. Don't think about him, it will only get you upset.

He was at the door.

Carefully he locked the door and took the key.

Madame Hedervary came around the corner and saw him. Their eyes met and for a second, time seemed to stop, then with a flourish of his cape the man vanished. She didn't even bat an eye as she turned around and forgot about it, keeping the promise she made to herself years before...

The man didn't waste time getting back to the secret passageway. By now, Gilbert had changed and was looking like a guilty puppy who had gotten into trouble and didn't want you to find out.

The man behind the mirror couldn't help but thinking how sexy the man looked in the outfit he had chosen to go on the dinner date. He was in a very lose white long sleeve shirt with little cuffs at the end; like a shirt a pirate would wear. And the pants he wore were skin tight and went up to his navel. He looks like an angel. He thought before realizing that Gilbert was about to try the door; and that was unacceptable. He tried to sound not as annoyed as he felt, but for someone with anger management issues...it didn't go so well.

"Insolent boy this slave of fashion, basking in your glory! Ignorant fool this brave young suitor, basking in my triumph!"

His lover froze with a hand on the door nob and slowly he turned with his head pointed upward, eyes darting around for any sign of movement. His voice was shaky but curious and respectful. "Angel of Music I-I'm sorry. It was a moment of weakness and it won't happen again." He paused and looked around once more. "Please, could I see you? Just once, just to know I'm not crazy. Everyone thinks I'm crazy. Antonio is my best friend and he thinks I'm crazy. And now my childhood friend does to. Please, anything will do."

The man was surprised. Of course he knew what people said about Gilbert, for years all he heard were complaints of his dancing out of step, even if he always came through in the end performance. Sometimes the man wondered if he did it on purpose just to annoy the others. The thought made the man's mouth twitch upward. His voice mellowed out and you could see the relief on Gilbert's face. "Flattering, you would like to see me yes?" Gilbert nodded. "Look at your face in the mirror, I am there...inside."

Gilbert turned his face toward the mirror looking. Slowly the man who was the phantom, slid open the mirror that acted as a door, he could now come with him. He was so close to touching him for the first time he could hardly contain his excitement.

Gilbert took hesitant steps forward until, finally, he took his hand and they stepped through the mirror together.