Masquerade!
By Lady Sol
Overall Rating: PG-15
Disclaimers: The only thing I own is the plot and a Gundam Wing Calendar, and all my Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards. Don't sue, cuz I don't think you really want an 'Acid Trap Hole' card. 'Masquerade!' taken from The Phantom of the Opera.
Warnings: Shounen ai. Trowa's POV.
Pairings: 3x4
Summary: Quatre takes Trowa to go see an Opera. But one song seems to be telling Trowa exactly what is holding him down.
Feedback: ::settles herself into Wing Zero and turns it on:: Anytime now!
Lady Sol: I really wasn't gonna make this an Arc, but when a couple of people wanted me to write a sequel to Karaoke, who am I to refuse?
Wufei: You're the fanfic writer. You can say no if you wanted too.
L S: Yeah, but where is the fun in that? The fans demand, so I must write!
Heero: So why are you writing this instead of working on We Will Be Invincible Part Three?
L S: Uhhhhh, negligent muse?
Heero: Omae o korosu. ::aims gun::
Duo: Heero! You can't kill her! If you do, she will never get to finish the fic!
Heero: Hn. ::lowers gun::
L S: ::takes a deep breath:: OK, look, after this fic I PROMISE I'll get part Three out, ok?
Heero: Hn. Acceptable.
L S: Ok, then, on with the fic!
/Yadda yadda/ - Song Lyrics
Masquerade!
An Opera. I'm going to see an Opera.
Who would have thought that Pilot 03 of the Gundam Heavyarms, would be in a tuxedo, walking into a huge opera house, to see an Opera?
'The Phantom of the Opera' to be precise?
Not the said pilot, you can be sure of that.
But what could I do? Quatre had gotten tickets though his numerous contacts and practically was begging me to go. And he had given me those puppy-dog eyes.
You know the ones I'm talking about.
The ones that just scream 'I'm-just-too-cute-for-you-to-say-no-and-if-you- go-I'll-do-anything-you-want-just-please-say-yes-and-that-you'll-go-with- me!'
Who am I to deny my lover of anything?
Needless to say, I agreed. I wasn't expecting an armful of Quatre though as he launched himself into my arms with enough force to knock me to the ground and kissed me senseless.
Quatre is a very good kisser.
So here I am, walking up the steps to Quatre's private box. I don't know why he wanted me to go, or why he wanted to see this opera imparticularly. I mean, it's just about a ghost who falls in love with a girl, but looses her anyway to a childhood friend of hers, right?
Quatre beams up at me as I enter the box. I slide into the chair next to him and take the program that he hands me. "This is going to be wonderful, Trowa!" he beams, wiggling in his seat excitedly, "And there is this one part I know you'll love!"
"Really?" I ask. I'm not that up to date with operas. I mean, don't they all have some fat lady singing in some foreign tongue? I flip through the program. "And exactly which part am I going to love?"
Quatre gives me one of his sly smiles. "I'm not going to tell you. But you will know it when you see it."
Oh great, a guessing game. I hate guessing games. But anything to amuse my smaller lover. As the lights dimmed down he crawled into my seat and we sat there and watched the performance.
I must admit, it wasn't how I thought it would be. It didn't start in song, but an auction. The first part performance itself was nothing like how I thought it was. Oh, it did have a fat lady singing in it, but she wasn't the star.
And the music. The music was just astounding. It was nothing like I have ever heard. It gave me the feeling of being trapped, of wanting to feel loved, of having love to give, but of having to hide it from the outside world. Of how it was to live behind a mask, as it were.
I remembered there was a booth outside in the lobby that was selling the soundtrack of the performance. I made a mental note to get a copy as I watched the chandelier fall to the stage. It was now intermission. As everyone stepped outside, Quatre turned up to look at me.
"How are you enjoying it so far?" he asked, playing with my tie.
I nodded my approval and gently took his hand into mine. "I was thinking of buying the soundtrack. That is, if the second act is as good as the first."
Quatre smiled at me and leaned his head against my chest. "I already have it."
I looked at him in surprise. "You do? How come I never hear you play it?"
He gave me another sly smile and looked back down to the stage as the lights dimmed once again. "You do. But just this track that is coming up."
I hide my confused look as I saw on stage what appeared to be a big ball. But then, I listened to the song they were singing and realized, he did play this song all the time.
/Masquerade!/
/Paper faces on parade./
/Masquerade!/
/Hide your face,/
/So the world will/
/Never find you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Every face a different shade./
/Masquerade!/
/Look around-/
/There's another/
/Mask behind you!/
/Flash of mauve./
/Splash of puce./
/Fool and king./
/Ghoul and goose./
/Green and black./
/Queen and priest./
/Trace of rogue./
/Face of beast./
/Faces./
/Take your turn, take a ride/
/On the merry-go-round./
/In an inhuman race./
/Eye of gold./
/Thigh of blue./
/True is false./
/Who is who.?/
/Curl of lip./
/Swirl of gown./
/Ace of hearts./
/Face of clown./
/Faces./
/Drink it in, drink it up/
/Till you've drowned/
/In the light./
/In the sound./
/But who can name a face?/
I leaned forward intent of the words of the song. They were saying what I had felt during the war. What many of all of us had felt. Having to hide behind different names and different faces, like a masquerade.
/Masquerade!/
/Grinning yellows/
/Spinning reds./
/Masquerade!/
/Take your fill-/
/Let the spectacle/
/Astound you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Burning glances,/
/Turning heads./
/Masquerade!/
/Stop and stare/
/At the sea of smiles/
/Around you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Seething shadows,/
/Breathing lies./
/Masquerade!/
/You can fool/
/Any friend who/
/Ever knew you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Leering satyrs,/
/Peering eyes./
/Masquerade!/
/Run and hide-/
/But a face will/
/Still pursue you!/
During the vocal interlude something flashed in my head. There was a time during the war, right before Quatre and I confessed our feelings to each other, that I had heard this song being played over and over and over from Quatre's room. The night it stopped, actually, was the night he had come marching into my room and told me that he didn't care if I hated him forever, he was tired of hiding his feelings for me.
I remember that night very well. We both woke up the next morning on the floor next to the door he made the little proclamation from. Not that we were complaining.
/Masquerade!/
/Paper faces on parade./
/Masquerade!/
/Hide your face,/
/So the world will/
/Never find you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Every face a different shade./
/Masquerade!/
/Look around-/
/There's another/
/Mask behind you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Burning glances,/
/Turning heads./
/Masquerade!/
/Stop and stare/
/At the sea of smiles/
/Around you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Grinning yellows/
/Spinning reds./
/Masquerade!/
/Take your fill-/
/Let the spectacle/
/Astound you!/
I remember the rest of the opera very clearly. Well, at least what was going on in the private box. I showed Quatre that the message did not go unnoticed, and that I would pull of my mask more than just in private.
I would try to let everyone know who the true Trowa Barton was. Even myself.
And Quatre was right. There was one part I love. At the very end.
Owari.
L S: I dunno...I think that ending was just a little too vague...
Quatre: Well, you did have to leave it at a PG-13 rating...
L S: No, it was a PG-15.
Trowa: Point being, it's fine. Just send this over to Adele, have her beta it for you, and post it. Stop worrying!
L S: But what if Adele-chan wants a more ::fake cough:: specific ending?
Quatre: Then write one. But I think everyone will like this the way it is.
L S: You sure?
Trowa: Positive.
L S: Ok then! But...
Duo: ::pops in:: Hey, Heero wants to know when you're gonna finish his torture session.
L S: In a couple of hours! I'm still having trouble...
Duo: Trouble with what? Anything I can help with?
L S: Not really. I just don't know what song to write about next.
Duo: That's gonna be the least of your worries if ya don't finish Heero's fic.
L S: But it's driving me crazy! ::hops into Wing Zero and turns it on:: No ideas! No ideas!
Wufei: I have an idea.
Quatre: You do?
Duo: Speak, Wu-man! Before she self-destructs in that thing!
Wufei: Let the fans decide.
Trowa: ...good idea.
Wufei: Thank you.
Duo: Hey Sunny, ya can come down from there! Wufei had an idea!
L S: ::powers down Wing Zero:: Idea? My muses have brought me an idea?
Trowa: Well...
Quatre: Not necessarily us...
Wufei: I thought that maybe you could let the readers decide the next song for the arc.
L S: Hey, Wufei, that's a great idea! Maybe I'll have you getting some for such a good idea!
Wufei: ::nosebleeds and runs out of room::
L S: Oh well. You heard 'em! For the next song I do, you decide! But when you leave the song you want, be sure to leave a link to someplace I can get a copy of the lyrics. I'm not very good at getting music to listen to them. So happy hunting!
Heero(muffled): Now come finish this damn fic!
L S: Coming! Sheesh, everyone wants the writer to write, but what if the writer just wants some sleep and... ::mumbles on as she walks out of the room::
Disclaimers: The only thing I own is the plot and a Gundam Wing Calendar, and all my Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards. Don't sue, cuz I don't think you really want an 'Acid Trap Hole' card. 'Masquerade!' taken from The Phantom of the Opera.
Warnings: Shounen ai. Trowa's POV.
Pairings: 3x4
Summary: Quatre takes Trowa to go see an Opera. But one song seems to be telling Trowa exactly what is holding him down.
Feedback: ::settles herself into Wing Zero and turns it on:: Anytime now!
Lady Sol: I really wasn't gonna make this an Arc, but when a couple of people wanted me to write a sequel to Karaoke, who am I to refuse?
Wufei: You're the fanfic writer. You can say no if you wanted too.
L S: Yeah, but where is the fun in that? The fans demand, so I must write!
Heero: So why are you writing this instead of working on We Will Be Invincible Part Three?
L S: Uhhhhh, negligent muse?
Heero: Omae o korosu. ::aims gun::
Duo: Heero! You can't kill her! If you do, she will never get to finish the fic!
Heero: Hn. ::lowers gun::
L S: ::takes a deep breath:: OK, look, after this fic I PROMISE I'll get part Three out, ok?
Heero: Hn. Acceptable.
L S: Ok, then, on with the fic!
/Yadda yadda/ - Song Lyrics
Masquerade!
An Opera. I'm going to see an Opera.
Who would have thought that Pilot 03 of the Gundam Heavyarms, would be in a tuxedo, walking into a huge opera house, to see an Opera?
'The Phantom of the Opera' to be precise?
Not the said pilot, you can be sure of that.
But what could I do? Quatre had gotten tickets though his numerous contacts and practically was begging me to go. And he had given me those puppy-dog eyes.
You know the ones I'm talking about.
The ones that just scream 'I'm-just-too-cute-for-you-to-say-no-and-if-you- go-I'll-do-anything-you-want-just-please-say-yes-and-that-you'll-go-with- me!'
Who am I to deny my lover of anything?
Needless to say, I agreed. I wasn't expecting an armful of Quatre though as he launched himself into my arms with enough force to knock me to the ground and kissed me senseless.
Quatre is a very good kisser.
So here I am, walking up the steps to Quatre's private box. I don't know why he wanted me to go, or why he wanted to see this opera imparticularly. I mean, it's just about a ghost who falls in love with a girl, but looses her anyway to a childhood friend of hers, right?
Quatre beams up at me as I enter the box. I slide into the chair next to him and take the program that he hands me. "This is going to be wonderful, Trowa!" he beams, wiggling in his seat excitedly, "And there is this one part I know you'll love!"
"Really?" I ask. I'm not that up to date with operas. I mean, don't they all have some fat lady singing in some foreign tongue? I flip through the program. "And exactly which part am I going to love?"
Quatre gives me one of his sly smiles. "I'm not going to tell you. But you will know it when you see it."
Oh great, a guessing game. I hate guessing games. But anything to amuse my smaller lover. As the lights dimmed down he crawled into my seat and we sat there and watched the performance.
I must admit, it wasn't how I thought it would be. It didn't start in song, but an auction. The first part performance itself was nothing like how I thought it was. Oh, it did have a fat lady singing in it, but she wasn't the star.
And the music. The music was just astounding. It was nothing like I have ever heard. It gave me the feeling of being trapped, of wanting to feel loved, of having love to give, but of having to hide it from the outside world. Of how it was to live behind a mask, as it were.
I remembered there was a booth outside in the lobby that was selling the soundtrack of the performance. I made a mental note to get a copy as I watched the chandelier fall to the stage. It was now intermission. As everyone stepped outside, Quatre turned up to look at me.
"How are you enjoying it so far?" he asked, playing with my tie.
I nodded my approval and gently took his hand into mine. "I was thinking of buying the soundtrack. That is, if the second act is as good as the first."
Quatre smiled at me and leaned his head against my chest. "I already have it."
I looked at him in surprise. "You do? How come I never hear you play it?"
He gave me another sly smile and looked back down to the stage as the lights dimmed once again. "You do. But just this track that is coming up."
I hide my confused look as I saw on stage what appeared to be a big ball. But then, I listened to the song they were singing and realized, he did play this song all the time.
/Masquerade!/
/Paper faces on parade./
/Masquerade!/
/Hide your face,/
/So the world will/
/Never find you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Every face a different shade./
/Masquerade!/
/Look around-/
/There's another/
/Mask behind you!/
/Flash of mauve./
/Splash of puce./
/Fool and king./
/Ghoul and goose./
/Green and black./
/Queen and priest./
/Trace of rogue./
/Face of beast./
/Faces./
/Take your turn, take a ride/
/On the merry-go-round./
/In an inhuman race./
/Eye of gold./
/Thigh of blue./
/True is false./
/Who is who.?/
/Curl of lip./
/Swirl of gown./
/Ace of hearts./
/Face of clown./
/Faces./
/Drink it in, drink it up/
/Till you've drowned/
/In the light./
/In the sound./
/But who can name a face?/
I leaned forward intent of the words of the song. They were saying what I had felt during the war. What many of all of us had felt. Having to hide behind different names and different faces, like a masquerade.
/Masquerade!/
/Grinning yellows/
/Spinning reds./
/Masquerade!/
/Take your fill-/
/Let the spectacle/
/Astound you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Burning glances,/
/Turning heads./
/Masquerade!/
/Stop and stare/
/At the sea of smiles/
/Around you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Seething shadows,/
/Breathing lies./
/Masquerade!/
/You can fool/
/Any friend who/
/Ever knew you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Leering satyrs,/
/Peering eyes./
/Masquerade!/
/Run and hide-/
/But a face will/
/Still pursue you!/
During the vocal interlude something flashed in my head. There was a time during the war, right before Quatre and I confessed our feelings to each other, that I had heard this song being played over and over and over from Quatre's room. The night it stopped, actually, was the night he had come marching into my room and told me that he didn't care if I hated him forever, he was tired of hiding his feelings for me.
I remember that night very well. We both woke up the next morning on the floor next to the door he made the little proclamation from. Not that we were complaining.
/Masquerade!/
/Paper faces on parade./
/Masquerade!/
/Hide your face,/
/So the world will/
/Never find you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Every face a different shade./
/Masquerade!/
/Look around-/
/There's another/
/Mask behind you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Burning glances,/
/Turning heads./
/Masquerade!/
/Stop and stare/
/At the sea of smiles/
/Around you!/
/Masquerade!/
/Grinning yellows/
/Spinning reds./
/Masquerade!/
/Take your fill-/
/Let the spectacle/
/Astound you!/
I remember the rest of the opera very clearly. Well, at least what was going on in the private box. I showed Quatre that the message did not go unnoticed, and that I would pull of my mask more than just in private.
I would try to let everyone know who the true Trowa Barton was. Even myself.
And Quatre was right. There was one part I love. At the very end.
Owari.
L S: I dunno...I think that ending was just a little too vague...
Quatre: Well, you did have to leave it at a PG-13 rating...
L S: No, it was a PG-15.
Trowa: Point being, it's fine. Just send this over to Adele, have her beta it for you, and post it. Stop worrying!
L S: But what if Adele-chan wants a more ::fake cough:: specific ending?
Quatre: Then write one. But I think everyone will like this the way it is.
L S: You sure?
Trowa: Positive.
L S: Ok then! But...
Duo: ::pops in:: Hey, Heero wants to know when you're gonna finish his torture session.
L S: In a couple of hours! I'm still having trouble...
Duo: Trouble with what? Anything I can help with?
L S: Not really. I just don't know what song to write about next.
Duo: That's gonna be the least of your worries if ya don't finish Heero's fic.
L S: But it's driving me crazy! ::hops into Wing Zero and turns it on:: No ideas! No ideas!
Wufei: I have an idea.
Quatre: You do?
Duo: Speak, Wu-man! Before she self-destructs in that thing!
Wufei: Let the fans decide.
Trowa: ...good idea.
Wufei: Thank you.
Duo: Hey Sunny, ya can come down from there! Wufei had an idea!
L S: ::powers down Wing Zero:: Idea? My muses have brought me an idea?
Trowa: Well...
Quatre: Not necessarily us...
Wufei: I thought that maybe you could let the readers decide the next song for the arc.
L S: Hey, Wufei, that's a great idea! Maybe I'll have you getting some for such a good idea!
Wufei: ::nosebleeds and runs out of room::
L S: Oh well. You heard 'em! For the next song I do, you decide! But when you leave the song you want, be sure to leave a link to someplace I can get a copy of the lyrics. I'm not very good at getting music to listen to them. So happy hunting!
Heero(muffled): Now come finish this damn fic!
L S: Coming! Sheesh, everyone wants the writer to write, but what if the writer just wants some sleep and... ::mumbles on as she walks out of the room::