A/N: Well this is my first one shot and first Moulin Rouge fic all in one! Let me know what you think.
Summary: After Satine's death the Duke approaches Christian, wishing to speak to him. What could he want?
WARNING: Male slash, slight angst, character death. Deal with it. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's that simple.
Disclaimer: I don't own Moulin Rouge, blah blah blah. You know the drill.
My Final Story
Does the ending of one story always lead to another? Or is it destined to end? I suppose it ends for some. But not for me. For me, the story continues. I told my first story and many people listened to it. They may speak of the sadness my love was destined to end in. But more often than not they heard my story and forgot it. They may forget this story as well. But that's all right. I once again need to tell you a story. It will be my last.
This story begins with an ending. It begins with the ending of The Tale of the Moulin Rouge.
//\//\//\
As I lay over her lifeless body I began to sing quietly.
"Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it singsCome back to me, and forgive everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
It all revolves around you
And there's no mountain too high
No river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather
And stars may collide
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Oh, come what may, come what may
I will love you, I will love you
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day..."
As I reached the end of the song, our song, I could no longer hold back the flood of tears. Surrounded by the stunned actors, and unbeknownst to the audience, I began to sob. I repeated her name again, and again, sobbing all the while. My love was dead. My love, my light, my reason for living was no more. We had endured so much together. We shared a love so pure...and then she was just gone.
As I began to calm down I heard shouts. "Take me to Satine! I want to see her now!" someone yelled. It sounded familiar. It's the Duke, I thought.
"Satine is...dead." Someone, one of the actors I believe, informed him quietly.
The Duke was silent for a few moments. Then he began to speak again. "Then take me to Christian."
"Christian is in no state to see anyone right now." The actor replied. He had obviously seen me crying.
"It is imperative that I see Christian. Take me to him now dammit!" The Duke demanded and began to push his way past the poor actor.
"But I'm sure he really doesn't want to see anyone right now..." he trailed off as I walked up.
"It's quite alright." I said to the man. I then turned to the Duke. "Now. You wished to speak to me?" I inquired.
"Yes. There are some matters I feel we need to discuss. It is quite urgent." He replied. "But...may we go somewhere more private? You room perhaps?"
My mind started racing. Why should I let this man in my room? He didn't like me. He wished me dead. He even went to far as to try to have me killed. No. I shall not let him alone with me...But what if he has something important to tell me? I sighed inwardly. I suppose I'd better comply.
The Duke had started to look impatient while I thought. So I spoke quickly. "Why of course! If you will follow me." And I began to stride briskly through the crowd of people. The crowd that's surrounding Satine. I was having trouble keeping my emotions under control and keeping my thoughts straight. Satine had died. My love had died. And I was going to my room to talk to a man who completely disapproved of that love. A man who hated it so much he tried to have me killed. What was I doing? I don't know. All I knew was that it felt right to be talking with him. It felt right to hurry so we could talk sooner. It all just felt right.
I began to move through the crowd faster. I had to get up to my room with the Duke as soon as possible. I heard the Duke hurrying along behind me.
As soon as we arrived at my room I shut the door. I turned lowly to face him. "Christian," he said slowly, "I never really wished you dead. I was just...jealous. At first I thought it was because I wanted to share the same kind of love with Satine. But I slowly realized that I didn't love Satine. I loved someone else entirely. I loved someone I never thought it was possible for me to love. I..." his voice wavered slightly, "Christian...I love...you." The entire time he was speaking, he hadn't looked up at me. I was utterly shocked. I never would have thought that the Duke loved me.
He still hadn't looked up. When I didn't respond he started speaking again, "Christian...I know this is a surprise to you. It was to me as well. I didn't know I was gay. But I've never felt this way about anyone before and...I just thought you should know. If you don't feel the same way about me I understand. But please...just say something." He finally turned to look at me and his eyes were pleading.
"I...but...Duke. If you love me...why did you wish to have me killed?" I asked, still rather shocked. But as the truth slowly started to sink in I realized something. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about the Duke.
"Oh...that." he said, "Well. I didn't understand what I was feeling. And I didn't want to have to feel it anymore. Even to myself the idea of loving you was...well, preposterous to say the least. And I thought that if you were dead I wouldn't have to deal with the feelings anymore."
Well that explains a lot, I thought, I now know why he hated the sight of me. "Oh. I see..." I faltered. How was I going to tell the Duke that I may love him as well. This was all completely foreign to me. The feelings, the thoughts, even the idea that I could love a man. Or love anyone so soon after Satine was gone.
But that's what was happening. There was no other explanation. The Duke took my comtemplative silence for something entirely different. He flushed and turned to leave. Before I really knew what was happening the Duke was against the wall, my lips pressing against his with a hunger. I loved the Duke, I always had. I just never knew it. He gasped and I twined my tongue eagerly into his slightly open mouth. He then got over his shock and kissed me back, just as hungrily, with just as much need. After the kiss was over I pulled away gasping. "Well. I suppose this means something." said the Duke.
"Yes. I suppose it does." I replied, and leaned in to press my lips against his once more.
After that day the Duke was always with me. He understood how deep my love for Satine had been, and he stayed with me as I put the tale of the love we had shared onto paper. I had completely forgiven the Duke for all that had happened, but others hadn't.
One such person was Harold. He blamed the Duke for Satine's death, claiming that all of the stress that the Duke had caused is what drove Satine to death. And he could never forgive the person who murdered Satine. He felt the need to avenge her death.
One day, shortly after leaving me to my writing, the Duke was walking down the street. Harold came out from an alley and shot him.
And that was all the love I ever knew. Of course, Harold never realized he was responsible for my spiral down into depression. No one knew of the love the Duke and I shared for one another.
This is the end of my story. I thank you for listening to it. You may have cried. You may not have. But my Duke is dead. I can not go on without him. SO I shall end my life on this day. To whoever finds this, and me, I apologize to you. It is hard to see a body of someone you are friends...or someone you love.
Thus ends my final tale, in my final hour of life. Goodbye.
//\//\//\
As the Duke read his love's final words, a tear rolled slowly down his cheek. His dear Christian had thought him dead. He had taken his own life over that fact. The tears came faster now, with more need to be shed. The only person he had ever loved was dead. He could no longer go on.
//\//\//\
It was Harold who found the two lifeless bodies. It was Harold who made the arrangements for the funeral. It was Harold who did all of this. Harold felt the need to do everything he could for Christian, and the man that Christian had loved. Christian had not loved him, but that did not change the feelings Harold had always held for him. But Harold felt he could go on. And so he did.
A/N: Well that was my first Moulin Rouge fic. I know it was a rather odd pairing. But that's okay. I had the idea and felt the need to put it into words. Anyways let me know what you think. Please, please, PLEASE review!! I will love you forever if you do. Constructive criticism is fine, but no straight flames please!!