"You sang beautifully tonight, Christian." Erik looked at the new star with pride and tenderness as they walked arm-in-arm down the corridors towards the lake.

"Thank you, darling!" Christian gushed, kissing the cheek of the man that he loved.

"Christian darling, you've made me so happy!" Erik thought with joy at the caress.

"The boat awaits us, dearest."

Christian sat contentedly aboard while Erik pushed off.

"Mon ange, mon chéri de ciel,
Enfin, nous sommes ensemble..."

Erik sang as he rowed the boat. The sound of his voice enthralled Christian...


He'd never known anybody like Christian before. The harshness of the past still tainted his view of the world... he could still hear the grating call of "See the Devil's Child!" and the beatings that he received if he misbehaved still tingled his flesh at times...

This was where he lived: in a hidden lair beneath the opera house that he designed and helped to build... but was given no recognition for it. Few knew of him, or even acknowledged his existance.

The sound of the male voice, however harsh it was when directed at him, somehow rang musically in his ears... and the workers, stripped to the waist as they set up or dismantled the tents and platforms, tingled him...
He tried to block out the thoughts, knowing that he would be in even more trouble should his keeper discover his desire for the men... a long time after, he was wary of coming close to a man, for fear of a beating. He knew all too well what horrid fate awaited those of his type. And if his mother had known that he would turn out like he was, then she surely would have killed him herself. He grimaced at those times that he thought of her, of the cries for help that went unanswered that many men of his "Greek" nature suffered.

But Christian-! He noticed a slight vulnerability in the boy as he watched him in rehearsals. His heart sang at his voice, his smile... he lost his heart to Christian completely as he eavesdropped on Christian at one time- Christian was sitting alone on the roof, mourning for his mother, wondering whether his "Angel of Music" would come for him...

Erik had listened, taking in every word. He didn't like to eavesdrop, but his heart was breaking for this boy...

In little time, Erik had taken Christian under his wing, wanting to train him... but thoughts of holding and kissing him instilled nervousness in him... would Christian turn against him?

Christian had come to him by his own will, never questioning the mask that covered half of his teacher's face, showing no fear.

He agonized all over again... he was so close to this boy who treated him with respect, who cared for him, and yet it seemed that they were worlds apart. What would become if Erik admitted his feelings to Christian? Distrust? Fear? Disdain?

Erik kept his secret to himself for so long, tormented and alone.


The warm glow of candles greeted them as the boat came to the portcullis. Christian never ceased to be amazed at the beauty of what Erik had built and created... he now shared the cavernous home with Erik...

"Wait, love-." Erik said abruptly, "Here. You must put this on." he finished, handing a blindfold to Christian. Christian eyed it questioningly and complied, tying the fabric around his face.

"I trust you Erik... just don't lead me into the lake or anything else undesirable."

Erik smiled in amusement as he took Christian by the hand and led the way. "As a matter of fact, yes, my dear. I've been waiting to cast you into an icy cesspool swarming with leeches all evening." his voice dripping with sarcasm. Christian snickered and rolled his closed eyes.

"All right," he heard Erik whisper, "now...!"

He removed the blindfold. Christian gasped at the sight of the table, laden with a modest but exquisite dinner. White wine; luscious green lettuce in the salad, which dripped with vinegar; a sourdough baguette of garlic bread; tripes à la mode de Caen, still steaming; and a glistening pastry.

"I worked much of tonight preparing it, love." Erik stood behind Christian, embracing him.

"Oh, it's lovely! Thank you so much, Erik!" Christian gushed, giving him a peck on the cheek.

As they entered the dining chamber, where a small but memorable breakfast feast had occurred the morning after their first night together, Christian remembered the first time that he saw his lover without his mask, several days after they had declared what they felt for each other.


"Erik... I cannot bring myself to do this, but I must say it..."

Christian had been trembling like a leaf. He fumbled for the right words.

He saw that Erik had a slight smile on his lips. "Oh no! How am I going to say this? What if he hates me because of this?" Christian's thoughts raced.

"What must you say, Christian?" Erik had asked, his eyes gazing into Christian's, as though the answer would be there.

"Perhaps I'm wrong to say this, as you are my teacher... but you are also a friend, Erik. How can I bring myself to say this?"

"Say what?" Erik asked, more puzzled.

"That I love you..."

Erik's eyes went wide.

"It's true, Erik. I hope that you're not angry, because I do love you... from what little you've said of yourself, I wish very much to live my life with you... but I see that you do not feel the same, as I am a man."

Erik was taken aback by the announcement.

Christian was afraid that Erik would turn against him and readied himself to run should Erik attack him.

Tears had burned his eyes. What if Erik didn't feel the same?

But his fears were soon cleansed from him.

"Christian...!" Erik's voice held disbelief, but not horror. Christian was unsure of what to do.

Erik had embraced Christian tightly, kissing him. "You will probably never realize fully how happy you've made me, Christian!" was Erik's answer.


"Erik, I never thought that I could be so happy... these past days together have been so wonderful...!"
Erik had beamed at him in response to those words.
"I love you, Erik..." he had said, planting a kiss upon Erik's cheek.
Erik had ached for so long to hear those words said to that name... and, here, a lovely young man that he had longed for was saying it to him.
He was so overwhelmed that he embraced Christian, resting his head on Christian's shoulder. He gasped, trying not to completely break down. After several moments, he mustered up his strength and looked into his beloved's face.

"I've waited for so long to hear those words said to me...! I love you too, Christian! I love you more than words could ever convey...!" he squeaked, tears of joy were pouring from his eyes. He and Christian leaned in for another kiss. Starting out gentle, the waves of passion overtook them...

But their kissing became so impassioned that Erik's mask slipped off...

Christian looked at his lover's face and gasped in surprise. The right side of his face had several craggy growths, with a small seersucker trail leading away from the corner of his mouth across the cheek. The skin had a deep red color to it, as if he'd been burned by something. Some of his silken hair was missing on the right of his scalp. The right side of his nose was missing some flesh around the nostril.

Erik panicked, turning his face away from Christian.

Christian was horrified... but the fear that really tore at him after the initial surprise was the thought of what this dear man must have endured. He was frightened by the deformities of his face, but he had seen Erik's soul... he saw beauty there, not terror...

"Erik..."

"Christian...?" Erik's voice was tense. He turned around, covering the right of his face with his hand, "You're still here...!"

"Yes... Erik, you need not hide your face!"

"You... you're not afraid...?" Erik said in surprise.

"No, love, of course I'm not." Christian blinked, quickly studying Erik's face. "What's happened to you?"

Erik winced, trying to conjure up the courage to tell Christian. Taking a deep breath, he began.

"I was born with this deformity, Christian. My mother was terrified and disgusted when she caught sight of my face for the first time. She said so herself many times to me."

Christian was dumbstruck. A mother would actually do that to her own child?

"My family was largely of Gypsy descent, and we were not well-off... we were barely making ends meet. I had taken to wearing masks at an early age, but even with the mask I couldn't walk the streets without being jeered, humiliated, and shunned. It was either mockery while wearing the mask or mockery along with horrified glances and contempt whilst not wearing it... my mother... nothing I could do would make her love me, and my father's acceptance of me was limited. What was there for me to do but run away? I couldn't bear living with them anymore..."

Christian's face was pale and taut with horror.

"I simply could not take the neglect and hatred that they gave to me any longer, Christian... what was I to do but run away?"

"But, Erik, how were you able to manage...?"

Erik hushed Christian with a finger to his beloved's lips.

"I was happy to be rid of my mother... but my relief was short-lived. I though that joining a travelling fair would offer some support for me, and it did somewhat... but I had not considered that even there, there was cruelty reserved for me. The beatings that I received from my mother were recalled for me by the guards at the fair. When I didn't obey them, they whipped me, beat me with heavy sticks..."

Christian was well-aware that cruelty and hardship were widespread, but this? Why should somebody so intelligent, so wonderful as his Erik have to suffer it?

"... even here, in this lair, after the abuse had ended, the memories will linger, sometimes I swear that I can still feel the beatings... I nearly ended myself..."

Christian's heart jumped at these words. He felt the warmth of tears pricking his eyes, but he forced them back.

"... I'm happy that I have not. Without you and Estelle, would I have ever known happiness at all?"

Christian winced as the descriptions of the dreadful times that his beloved Erik suffered rang in his mind. His breathing was heavy... finally he could not hold his emotion back any longer. Tracks of tears glistened on his face in the candle-light.

Erik hesitated, worry clouding his face as he saw his beloved's grief, "You won't leave me or resent me, will you? For what I've been?"

To Erik's surprise, Christian pulled him into a warm embrace.

"I'm not leaving you, my angel... I don't care what your face looks like; it is dear to me... remember that I love you, Erik..." Christian's voice quivered. He wept for his beloved, wishing that he could heal all of those old wounds that scarred Erik in body, mind and soul.

They could say nothing. There was nothing that needed to be said.

Erik had shed many tears that night... tears of relief that he'd not been spurned again, that the boy that held him loved him. Loved him enough to gracefully accept his face.


"...Belle and I were childhood friends, Erik. Nothing more." Christian reassured Erik as they left the table, walking toward their bedchamber.

"She has not seen you for several years?" Christian nodded... but his eyes suddenly clouded with worry.

"She's a wonderful friend... but I'm worried about what might happen if she discovers us...!"

"Hush...," Erik crooned, "Do not think of it, love. She is behind us for tonight, Christian...

Night-time sharpens,
heightens each sensation . . .
Darkness stirs and
wakes imagination . . .
Silently the senses
abandon their defenses . . .

Erik's smooth tenor sent a chill of delight through Christian... the thought of his lover singing for him was intoxicating...

Slowly, gently
night unfurls its splendour . . .
Grasp it, sense it -
tremulous and tender . . .

Christian found his shirt being unfastened. Erik's slow, gentle manner sent shivers through him.

Turn your face away
from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away
from cold, unfeeling light -
and listen to
the music of the night . . .

Erik stroked Christian's dark curls. Yes. Jezebelle and the world were aside... the night was theirs now to share...

Close your eyes
and surrender to your
darkest dreams!
Purge your thoughts
of the life
you knew before!

Christian, desirous, but wanting Erik to be pleasured, succeeded in removing Erik's soft, white shirt. He trembled at the sight of the tight muscles that glided beneath Erik's skin, the silken hair that was sprinkled about his abdominal and pectoral muscles. Muscles that possessed great strength... but Erik was so gentle with him. Erik would never intentionally hurt Christian... Christian planted gentle kisses along Erik's exposed shoulders, making his beloved shiver a bit... Erik kept on with his singing, though.

Close your eyes,
let your spirit
start to soar!
And you'll live
as you've never
lived before . . .

Erik's long fingers ran delicately along Christian's bared shoulders, arousing him further... yes, they were together... now they were free from the confines of the opera house, of society...

Softly, deftly,
music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it,
secretly possess you

Erik ran his hands over Christian's smooth, white bosom, teasing the taut nipples, smiling slyly at his amour.

Open up your mind,
let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night

Let your mind start a journey
through a strange, new world
Leave all thoughts of
the world you knew before
Let your soul take you where you long to be
Only then can you belong to me

Floating, falling,

Erik opened his arms to Christian. His warm flesh made Christian gasp as he came into contact with the taller man. Soft, masculine hands caressed their way over his flesh.

sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me
savour each sensation!

Erik's hands explored the fair flesh of Christian's back, one of his hands teasingly descending to Christian's backside.

Let the dream begin,
let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write -
the power of the music of the night . . .

Erik's mask was smooth and warm under Christian's hand. He gently slipped it off of Erik's face... Erik shivered with joy.

Erik's lips beckoned to Christian's lips invitingly. Christian, trembling, closed the gap between their lips.

Gently breaking the kiss, Erik looked tenderly onto Christian's face.

You alone can make my song take flight -
help me make the music of the night . . .

Their lips met again, like silk gliding against silk. Christian cuddled into Erik's form as they settled into their bed...

Erik propped himself up on the bed. His eyes were hungry as he eyed Christian's pale, slim body laying beside him. He shivered as he beheld at his lover's beauty. Christian looked like a sculpture of Apollo to him, like a sacrifice to the gods.

Christian gazed at Erik standing there. The tall, sinewy frame of his beloved stood there beside the bed, looking at him in a similar fashion... clearly very aroused... Christian could not resist how beautiful Erik truly was...

Recognizing that amorous look, Christian melted with joy, holding his arms out... the two naked bodies came into contact with each other. They writhed about on the bed, dousing each other with kisses, Erik making sure that his weight wouldn't hurt Christian...


They settled into the bed, exhausted from their enjoyment of each other.

"I love you, Christian." Erik's eyes were tired but happy as he cradled Christian's head on his chest, their hands lightly exploring each other.

Christian smiled at hearing this, nestling into the soft thicket of hair on Erik's chest.

"I love you too, Erik." Christian lifted his head, planting a deep kiss on Erik's lips, which Erik was more than happy to return.


"Why was the door locked?... and who was in there with Christian?" Belle thought in horror at the possibilities. She'd heard a male voice in there... a tenor, but distinctly darker and huskier in timbre than Christian's. "What has happened here...?"