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Gankutsuou Reborn	By : roryheadmav Category: +G to L > Gankutsuou Views: 5812 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gankutsuou, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial
work of fiction based on the anime/manga Gankutsuou. Original copyright
of Gankutsuou belongs to Mahiro Maeda, Gonzo/Media Factory, GDH.
Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with this work.
GANKUTSUOU REBORN

© November 18, 2005 By Rory
V. Pascual
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A Night At The
Opera
"Whoa! Would you look at all those
vultures out there?"
From the second floor window, Baptistin
was gazing at the crowd of journalists that had camped outside the gates
of Albert's modest estate through the scope of his brand new rifle.
It was an observation that Albert
wholeheartedly agreed with. He remembered all too well that time at the
height of the scandal. Those reporters had hounded him and his family day
and night on the pretext of searching for the truth, but were actually
out to destroy their lives. Now, their target was his precious Nightingale,
and damned if he will let them hurt Etienne in the same way.
Baptistin must have sensed what was
running through his mind because a lopsided grin curled up the corners
of his mouth. "Those guys are easy pickings." He patted his trusty rifle.
"How about I give this a test run? With beauty, I can pop a bunch of them
like chickens."
"No, don't do that! It'll be a waste
of bullets," Albert advised in all seriousness. "Besides, you might shoot
Beauchamp by accident."
"True," Baptistin nodded, although
the disappointment was obvious on his face. "Strange, don't you think?
All those reporter types look alike."
A walnut struck him at the back of
the head. Turning, Baptistin saw Beauchamp scowling at him, tossing another
walnut up and down in his right hand.
"I heard that, you bastard," the
journalist growled menacingly. He turned his attention to Albert who has
resumed his nervous pacing back and forth across the living room. "As for
you, sit down! You're making me dizzy just watching you."
Albert glanced down at his watch
before plopping down on the sofa. "What's taking them so long? We're just
going to the opera for heaven's sake!"
Beauchamp could not help but grin
mischievously. "Well, you're like an impatient groom waiting for his bride.
It's going to be Etienne's first time at the opera. You can't blame him
if he wants to look presentable."
"But why can't I even take a peek?"
Albert whined with a pout. "I'm a man. Is my taste in clothing that questionable?"
"You even have to ask that question?"
the journalist declared aghast. "If I remember correctly, there was this
young man who once accepted an invitation from a distinguished country
nobleman to visit his mansion at Champs-Elysees. He showed up dressed as
a pirate. Even managed to get into a duel on that same day. Oh, the things
that clothes can do to a man's frame of mind!"
"Hey! I won't take all the credit
for that! It was Peppo's idea!"
Baptistin cringed. "You had to take
the advise of a cross-dresser."
"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT! OUT! EVERYBODY
OUT!"
The three men trained their eyes
to the closed door of the Nightingale's room just in time to see Eugenie,
Haydee, Bertuccio, and Lucien chased outside, brushes, combs and other
fashion accessories following in their wake. As if as an after thought,
an arm reached out and snagged Lucien by the collar.
"Wait! I changed my mind!" Etienne
growled from inside. "You're staying!"
Before the Chief Secretary of the
Interior Ministry could utter a dissent, he was yanked back inside.
"What happened to you?" Baptistin
inquired.
"We were just offering our recommendations
on what clothes Etienne should wear," Eugenie began. Glowering at Haydee,
she then continued, "But Haydee and Bertuccio kept on insisting that he
wear the Count's hand me downs."
Bertuccio raised the black coat with
a flame design rising up the sleeves that the Count favored. "They look
good on him. I can't understand why he doesn't like them."
Albert let out a groan. "That's because
he is not the Count. Naturally, he would favor a different style of clothes."
"Well, I don't think he should've
chased us out like that," Haydee complained. "So rude."
"You should have grown accustomed
to that by now, Princess," Baptistin chuckled. "The Count was just like
that whenever we tried to impose our tastes upon him. As he always said,
'The Count of Monte Cristo only takes orders from the Count of Monte Cristo!'"
"I personally do not advise that
Lucien be his fashion adviser." Beauchamp's body shook as he shuddered.
"Yuck! Etienne would look hideous in those bright orange coats that Lucien
favors." Going towards the door, the journalist knocked on it gamely. "Hey,
Lucien! You'd better not be putting something orange on Etienne there.
We don't want our Nightingale looking like a game cock."
The door opened a crack and a wisp
of hair spray was blown in Beauchamp's face. "SHUT UP, FOOL!" snarled Lucien,
as the journalist let out a painful yelp.
"AAAARGGHHHHH!" Albert was close
to ruffling his neatly combed hair in his frustration. "We're never going
to make it to the opera!"
At that moment, the door opened and
Lucien went outside.
"Well?" Eugenie asked impatiently.
"What did Etienne choose to wear?"
All waited in eager anticipation
for the singer to emerge from the chamber. But when he finally did, they
nearly dropped to the floor. From head to toe, Etienne was dressed in a
hooded velvet cloak. His face could hardly be seen from that jet-black
covering.
"Good grief!" Haydee could not help
exclaiming. "Lucien, why did you make him wear that cloak? He looks like
a monk."
"Or a vampire searching for his prey,"
Bertuccio put in as well.
Lucien sighed in defeat. "Don't you
go blaming me. It was his idea. He wanted to surprise Albert once we arrive
at the opera house."
Albert tried to peer into that dark
hood, an expression of suspicion on his handsome face. "Are you sure you've
got clothes under there, Etienne?"
At that query, Albert thought he
saw a pink flash within the singer's dark hood. Etienne's voice was low
as he muttered, "Perhaps it's better that I do not go to the opera tonight
and return to my chamber instead. Dirty young man! Is sex the only thing
that you have in your mind?"
"You can't blame him, Etienne." A
chuckle bubbled up from Lucien's lips. "Albert was a virgin until the ripe
old age of fifteen. I don't think he has had any romantic affairs during
the seven years since then."
Etienne let out an undignified snort.
"If my first�encounter�had been with a cross-dressing cephalopod, I'd most
certainly choose to be celibate."
Haydee tapped an index finger to
her chin as though thinking. "I just remembered. I recall Peppo's name
being on the guest list tonight."
At that casual remark, the Nightingale
snapped his head in the princess' direction. Turning on his heels, Etienne
declared, "In that case, I am NOT going. Whatever festive mood I've had
earlier has now faded and�"
With an exasperated cry that jolted
everyone out of their skins, Albert lunged at the jealous singer and swiftly
lifted him up in his arms. Before Etienne could even raise a fuss, he made
a quick dash for the front door.
"Bertuccio! Baptistin!" Albert yelled
to the Count's trusted aides.
"We're way ahead of you, Albert,"
laughed Baptistin as he flung the front door wide open. In the driveway
outside, the Count's formidable carriage was ready and waiting for them.
As Baptistin leaped onto the driver's
seat, Bertuccio bowed gamely as he opened the carriage door. With a grunt,
Albert unceremoniously tossed Etienne onto the plush seat inside.
Entering the carriage, the young
envoy ordered, "To the opera house!"
"You heard the man," Bertuccio told
his comrade as he sat down beside Baptistin. "Let's go!"
Just as the gates swung open, Baptistin
flicked the reins, urging the horses into a full gallop. "Out of my way!"
he roared at the reporters, who had frozen where they stood. Seeing that
rumbling carriage bearing down on them, however, they got a hold of their
senses and dove out of its path.
"Rats!" Baptistin exclaimed as he
maneuvered the carriage into the street. "I missed!"
"Baptistin!" Etienne cried out aghast.
"I can't believe you were contemplating manslaughter!"
Albert settled down beside the shocked
singer, crossing his arms and legs as he nodded approvingly. "If someone
did get run over, he or she deserved it."
"Feeling bloodthirsty today, are
we?" the Nightingale inquired as he gave his lover a side-glance.
"Let's just say that, with the exception
of Beauchamp, I have no great love for the press. I had hoped to spare
you from this, but�."
Etienne linked his arm around Albert's.
As he laid his head on his lover's shoulder, he patted Albert's hand reassuringly.
"It's all right," the Nightingale
murmured. "I know that you'll always be by my side to protect me."
Smiling, Albert tenderly bussed the
singer at the top of his head.
In twenty minutes flat, their carriage
rolled to a stop before the grand Paris Opera House. Bertuccio opened the
door for them. Etienne was momentarily mortified, especially when he saw
the nobles lingering at the marble steps to peruse any newcomers. It was
Albert who got down first, raising his hand to the Nightingale.
"Shall we?" the youthful ambassador
gave his lover a dashing smile. "I'm eager to see what you've got hidden
under that cloak."
Etienne nodded. Swallowing down his
nervousness, the singer took Albert's hand and descended from the carriage.
:Keep your eyes forward and your
head up high,: Gankutsuou advised, sensing Etienne's hesitation. :Do
not be intimidated by these highborns. You have absolutely nothing to be
ashamed of.:
:Gankutsuou�I don't think I can
do it.:
The entity decided to take the lead.
Freeing his hand from Albert's grasp, he said, "I'm fine. Let me do this
on my own."
Albert took his place at Gankutsuou's
left. "Don't forget. I'm right here beside you."
With Bertuccio and Baptistin following
behind them, the two men went up the stairs with long, confident strides,
ignoring the curious stares that were being thrown their way. Gankutsuou
thought he could maintain that cool veneer of indifference as they walked
through the opera house's great doors.
"ALBERT!"
All poise disappeared and the telltale
marks on the entity's brow flared up as Peppo, dressed in a slinky silver
lamé gown with a long slit revealing a shapely leg, gave a startled
Albert an exuberant hug.
Pointing an angry finger at the flirtatious
model, Gankutsuou and Etienne yelled in outrage, "You're doing it again!"
Peppo gave the Nightingale a dry
glare. "Oh, it's you. Hello, Etienne. Aren't you a bit over-dressed? The
monk look fell out of fashion during the Spanish Inquisition."
"Who are you calling a 'monk', you
perverted transvestite?"
With dramatic flair, Etienne untied
his cloak and peeled it off with a graceful sweep of his arm. As the garment
fluttered neatly onto Bertuccio's outstretched arm, the singer's attire
was finally revealed to all.
Etienne was wearing a sleek black
tuxedo. Fine silver thread was mixed into the garment's weave, giving off
tiny flashes under the lamplight. Underneath, he wore a shimmering silver
gray shirt, a dark violet cravat tied around his neck. Pinned to his left
breast was a large gold and emerald brooch shaped in the coat of arms of
the Count of Monte Cristo. But it was Etienne's gorgeous mane that was
truly an eye-catcher. Eugenie and Haydee, and possibly Lucien as well,
had affixed tiny crystals to those ebony locks. To Albert, the singer looked
like a beautiful dark angel with twinkling stars in his hair. It was an
opinion that everyone in the lobby shared as they 'ooh'-ed and 'ahh'-ed
over the handsome young man.
"Oh my!" Eugenie gushed as she finally
arrived together with Lucien and Beauchamp. "Etienne, you look absolutely
gorgeous! Oh, how I wish Haydee had seen you!"
Bertuccio put in, "The Princess will
be seeing him the minute we get home. Don't you worry." Ever since Haydee's
encounter with that hated man from her past, she has had an aversion to
attending the opera.
Lucien granted the journalist beside
him a toothy grin. "What can you say about my fashion sense now?"
Beauchamp took a quick glance at
his friend's flashy red orange attire before swiftly turning away, his
hands flying to his face. "AAAAHHHH! MY EYES! THEY'RE BURNING!"
Infuriated, Lucien produced a small
green canister from inside his right trousers pocket. "You think that's
funny, huh? I'll burn your eyes for real with this new tear gas the Ministry
had developed."
Unfortunately, his friends' cheerful
banter fell on deaf ears since all of Etienne's murderous attention was
focused on the model that was hanging on to Albert with the tenacity of
a koala.
"Unhand Albert this instant, you
cockroach!" snarled Etienne in fury.
"Try and make me!" Peppo dared back,
sticking his tongue out at the singer.
"Peppo, you're choking me!" Albert
coughed out. To his lover, he squeaked, "Etienne, you behave!"
To add fuel to the fire, the Morrel
twins hurried up to them.
Clementine declared to her brother,
"I told you we should go to the opera today because Etienne's sure to be
here."
"Are you going to whoop Peppo's butt
this time?" asked Jacques, his little eyes glittering at the prospect of
mayhem.
Etienne gave his knuckles a menacing
crack under his gloves. "I'm sure that could be arranged."
The nobles had gathered around their
small group, like a pack of wolves, in anticipation of a scandal.
Salvation, thankfully, came in the
form of a breathless young man with an unruly moptop and large round glasses,
who said, "Peppo! So you're here! I've been looking all over for you!"
At once, Peppo released Albert who
in turn found himself gripped possessively by an insanely jealous Etienne.
"Renaud, my sweet munchkin!" Peppo
exclaimed, as he embraced the blushing car aficionado. His cheeks were
the same color as the model's lipstick after Peppo gave him a resounding
smack.
Clementine and Jacques stared at
the lovers with eyes as round as dinner plates. "'Munchkin'?" Looking at
each other, they shuddered and said in unison, "PHEEEWWWW!"
There were painful taps on their
heads. It was their mother Valentine who was livid with anger. "Have you
two been inciting trouble again?"
"Now, now, Valentine!" Maximilien
tried to pacify his lovely wife. "They're just children!"
Valentine wagged her fan scoldingly
at her husband. "Maximilien Morrel, this is all your fault! You've been
spoiling them!"
Albert was stunned by this sudden
turn of events. "Renaud? Are you telling me that you and Peppo are�."
"For about a year now," Renaud replied,
a sheepish grin on his face. "It took me quite some time before I could
get the nerve up." In confidence, he added, "And, yes, I do know that Peppo
is�you know."
Etienne glared accusingly at the
model. "If you have a beau, then why are you always pursuing Albert? You
should be more faithful to him!"
"Come now, Etienne!" Peppo giggled.
"A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone." To emphasize his point,
he even blew the flustered young envoy a kiss.
Grimacing, Gankutsuou saw with his
preternatural vision that the kiss was in the shape of a red heart. He
grabbed it and tossed it away in disgust.
Surprisingly, it was Albert who stepped
forward. "But, unfortunately, you are hurting someone who is very dear
to me, and I don't want him to lose his trust in me because of what you're
doing." He turned his passionate gaze towards the singer. "Let me make
this clear once and for all. There is only one person in my heart, and
that's my beloved Nightingale of Luna."
Saying this, Albert swept Etienne
into his arms and gave him a torrid kiss on the lips, ignoring the shocked
gasps of everyone in the lobby. Clementine and Jacques were absolutely
delighted by this move, until Valentine covered their eyes with her hands.
"Don't look children," she warned,
although she herself could barely hide her fond smile.
"I can't see anything!" Clementine
whined.
Jacques was grinning from ear to
ear as he peeked through the gap between his mother's fingers. "I can see
just fine."
"Ho ho!" a bellowing voice declared
followed by loud claps. "This is a wonderful scene worthy of the opera
stage."
The two lovers immediately broke
the kiss. Approaching them was a dashing man in his early thirties. He
was dressed entirely in white. Underneath his tuxedo was a silver vest.
His black hair was slick with thick gel. His mustache curled at the tips.
Eugenie recognized the newcomer at
once. "Signore Verano!"
Murmurs rose among the audience.
Guillermo Verano was Paris' latest opera sensation and the lead star of
the performance that evening. While most knew about his powerful voice
and intense performances on the stage, only a few were aware of the man's
vanity. Behind his cheerful smile, he viewed Etienne Delacroix as a rival.
"I have heard that Luna's esteemed
Nightingale will be here to watch the opera tonight," Verano told Eugenie,
although his voice was loud enough to be heard by all. "I did not expect
to see such a touching scene." He extended his hand to Albert. "Monsieur
Ambassador, you have warmed my heart with your act of gallantry."
"It is not an act, Monsieur," Albert
shook the opera star's hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Peppo
walking away with Renaud. The model even gave him a wink and a thumbs-up.
"One who is true inside his heart could only profess his feelings in all
honesty." He gazed at his blushing lover. "I feel no shame to say that
I love him."
Verano's eyebrows rose into two perfect
arches. "You are truly courageous to reveal your affections for another
man."
"Then let me do the same." Etienne
held Albert's hand lovingly. "I love Albert Herrera, and only death can
part me from him."
"Bravo! Surely all lovers should
learn about fidelity from the two of you. Ah, but I have allowed myself
to get distracted." Verano raised an offering hand to the singer. "Monsieur
Delacroix, I ask that you grace us with a song this evening. I am sure
everyone here would agree with me that Paris should at last hear the Nightingale
of Luna's magnificent voice."
Etienne gave the opera star a gracious
bow. "I'm afraid that I am not as courageous as my beloved. I'm not yet
ready to perform in such a beautiful city as this, having just arrived
in Paris. I prefer to earn the opportunity to perform on this stage through
diligence and hard work. Still, I am humbled by your invitation and I thank
you with my whole heart."
Verano, being a true artiste, feigned
disappointment. "I had hoped that would not be your answer." A sly grin.
"However, I am a very determined man. I swear I will hear you sing. For
now, I do hope you enjoy the performance." He turned to Eugenie. "Madame
Danglars, I hope to speak to you later regarding our little project."
"Uh�yes. Of course." Eugenie frowned
as she watched the opera star walk away. Going towards the Nightingale,
she advised, "Be wary of him, Etienne. Guillermo Verano is a very ambitious
man. He has a reputation of destroying budding talents. His rabid fans
had driven away his understudies from the stage in tears."
"I have no intention of competing
with him, Eugenie," Etienne replied. "If the Good Lord deems to have me
sing on this great stage, then it shall be a most wonderful gift. My voice
is not a weapon I will use to ruin another. I use it to make people happy."
He gave the pianist a warm smile. "And isn't that the true mission of a
performer?"
Inside him, Gankutsuou praised, :Well
put, Etienne. I couldn't have said it better myself.:
:I was only speaking the truth,:
the singer humbly told the entity.
At that moment, the buzzer broke
through the murmurs, a signal that the opera was going to begin in fifteen
minutes.
Baptistin clapped his hands. "Enough
chatter! Everyone, let's get to our seats!"
The twins waved to the singer. "We'll
see you later, Etienne!" they called as they went with their doting parents.
Hand in hand, Albert and Etienne
made to follow Eugenie and the others, but Bertuccio stopped them.
As they gave the Black man a quizzical
look, Bertuccio simply said, "We have very special seats for the two of
you."
Heading off to the lift, the four
men did not notice that they were being closely observed by two figures
standing behind a marble column.

~~~~~~~~~~
"The Prince's Box?" Albert exclaimed,
his jaw dropping. "You're joking!"
"Actually�" Baptistin began, grinning.
"It's more like the Prince's Suite."
Indeed, the envoy and the singer
found themselves in a spacious lounge where the patron could entertain
guests and well-wishers. The box itself was hidden behind a dark velvet
curtain.
"Should we even be watching
the opera from a very expensive box as this?" Etienne asked in nervous
awe. "Can't we just sit with Eugenie and the others?"
"The Count of Monte Cristo purchased
the Prince's Box for a hefty sum. Princess Haydee possesses the contract
that he had signed," Bertuccio reassured them. "I am sure that he would
want the both of you to use it."
In reality, it was Gankutsuou's wish
that they watch the opera from the Prince's Box. He wanted to make this
evening truly memorable for the singer.
Etienne mumbled thoughtfully, "I
get the impression that the Count was a very rich and vain man. To use
a box so high, it's like he was king of the people below."
"True. He had us all under his little
fingers, but he was a good man," Albert said softly. "If only his heart
had not been tainted by darkness�"
The Nightingale looked at his lover
curiously. There was an expression of sorrowful introspection on Albert's
face. Jealousy that was more intense than what he had felt for Peppo seized
his heart. It was all too obvious to him that Albert still held feelings
for this mysterious nobleman.
:W�You can help him forget, Etienne,:
Gankutsuou tentatively suggested. :Help heal Albert's heart.:
:Don't you mean that we
will help him?: the singer asked knowingly. :That's what you
were going to say.:
:Yes, I was going to say 'we',
but I feared that you might not�approve. You frighten me when you're jealous.:
Etienne could not help but chuckle.
:Well, you're pretty intimidating yourself. Too bad that even with our
combined efforts, we couldn't do anything about that infuriating cross-dresser.:
"What's so funny?" Albert inquired,
his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Oh, nothing! Nothing!"
"You're not plotting anything sinister
against Peppo, are you?"
"Certainly not!" Etienne grinned
wickedly. "I just thought I'd do him a big favor by turning him into a
REAL woman. A pair of sharp scissors can do the trick."
"Etienne�." Albert growled threateningly.
Laughing, Etienne turned on his heels
before Albert could catch him and headed straight for the box.
"Through the intercession of my
great ancestors, I pray to thee, Dambala, bind him in the dark chains of
the past!"
That murmured prayer stopped Etienne
in his tracks as he emerged through the curtains. A pitch-black aura immediately
enveloped him. Frigid cold permeated through his skin, freezing his bones,
that he wrapped his arms around himself, shivering.
:What's happening, Gankutsuou?:
Etienne called out to the entity. :I can't see anything!:
:It's a geas!: Gankutsuou
replied fearfully. :Whatever you do, don't move! I'll try to get us
free!:
Taking control of the singer's body,
Gankutsuou pushed his will against the barrier that held them trapped.
The dark aura, however, deflected his power back at him, hitting him directly
in the forehead. The entity let out an agonized cry as he gripped his brow.
Enraged, the entity shouted into
the darkness. "Who is doing this? Is that you, Laveau? I dare you to show
yourself! You want immortality, Benedetto? Come and get it!"
In answer to his dare, the spotlights
switched on and focused on a box directly below him, and at the figure
in white standing there. Gankutsuou gasped as he recognized the man instantly.
"Fernand�Mondego?" the entity whispered,
unable to take a step backward.
The man who was the disgraced nobleman
General Fernand de Morcerf raised an inviting hand, a lopsided grin forming
on his lips. Gankutsuou knew that that gesture was not directed at him,
but to the bewildered, frightened singer.
Then, Morcerf mouthed one word. "Remember!"
:Don't listen to him, Etienne!:
But the warning came too late. That
simple command caused terrifying images to flood inside the poor Nightingale's
mind.
A dark, dank corridor through
which he walked, his breath labored, his chest aching�
Stumbling on a carpeted floor
and that strange man�Fernand?�coming to his aid�
Aid that came in the form of loathsome
kisses and devastating thrusts�
The terrible shame that came with
the knowledge that he had just been violated by the man he hated�
"ETIENNE, DON'T LOOK!"
And then there were those perplexing
words�
"I don't regret what I did to
you, Count," Fernand said to him. "It is enough for me to know that I was
the man who claimed your innocence."
"Why did you let Fernand rape
me?"
An image of a man who looked exactly
like him, but older, with gray in his ebony tresses, gazing into a mirror
from which the visage of Gankutsuou was reflected back at him�
"Don't be angry, Edmond," Gankutsuou
said to him, as his gloved hand caressed his belly. "This is the only way
for you to be with him."
A much younger Albert smiling
back at him�.
"STOP IT! STOP!"
Etienne pitched himself out of that
nightmare, unaware that, in his terror, he had also launched himself from
the Prince's box, much to the horrified screams of the onlookers below.
"ETIENNE!"
It was Albert who had stopped his
fatal plunge, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him back onto the plush
divan. He frantically wiped the sweat from the singer's flushed face.
"Are you all right, Etienne?" Albert
gave his lover a desperate embrace. "God, I thought I was going to lose
you!"
Although at first shaken by what
had happened to him, Etienne recovered his senses to turn his anger on
the entity cowering inside him.
:Gankutsuou, what is the meaning
of all those images I saw?: Etienne demanded. :I've long suspected
that you were hiding something from me, but I deferred asking any questions
from you because you have saved my life many times. But now I demand answers!:
:I don't know�I can't!: Gankutsuou
exclaimed.
:You can't or you won't? That
man was the Count of Monte Cristo, wasn't he? Why does he look like me?
Why are you two so interested in Albert? Tell me, damn it! Who is
he? WHO AM I?:
:I'm sorry! I can't!: the
entity cried out, frightened by the singer's righteous fury.
"Etienne! Please speak to me!"
Etienne saw Albert gazing down at
him in grave worry. :You fix this mess, Gankutsuou. After all, this
is what you want, isn't it? Think about what you're doing to me while he's
fucking you!:
Gankutsuou was disheartened by Etienne's
comment as the singer retreated, sulking, into the dark corner of his mind.
Never had he heard the Nightingale speak so crudely before.
"Etienne? What happened to you?"
The entity shook his head, more to
rid himself of the voice of his nagging conscience. "I felt faint. It must
be because of all this excitement. I'm so sorry, Albert."
Albert kissed his precious Nightingale,
unaware that he was now holding the mysterious entity in his arms. "Damn
it! It must have been one of your attacks. After this, I won't let you
out of my sight, even more a second. Do you want me to take you home?"
"No, I'm fine now. Just shaken, that's
all." Gankutsuou caressed the young man's face and smiled. "You have saved
me yet again. What can I do to repay you?"
At that query, the envoy noticed
then how high were the walls of the Prince's Box. Standing or seated, the
only things that would be visible would be the upper half of their bodies,
even if a person below were to use opera glasses.
Grinning fiendishly, Albert answered,
"Come to think of it, I do know of something you can do for me."

~~~~~~~~~~
Eugenie trained her binoculars towards
the Prince's Box for the tenth time during the performance. "Do you think
Etienne's all right up there?"
"He's probably resting in the lounge,"
Lucien told the pianist reassuringly. "I bet Etienne is listening to the
performance as we speak with Albert. When he's well enough, they'll take
their seats in that box."
Beauchamp poked a finger in his aching
right ear. "If those two are smart, they should stay right where they are.
Those damned sound people should have toned down the volume. I think Verano's
voice has shattered my eardrums."
The Morrel twins, who were sitting
behind them with their parents, pulled out their earplugs and showed them
to the journalist.
"That's why we always wear these,
Uncle Beauchamp," Clementine explained.
There was a wide toothy grin on Jacques'
face. "You want to know what Uncle Albert and Etienne are really doing
up there? I'll bet all my allowance that they're doing something very naughty!"
Shocked, Valentine hauled the struggling
little boy onto her lap. "Jacques! How did your mind get so filthy? Your
Uncle Albert is a morally upright man. Why, he even had a duel with your
father over a matter of honor."
"But didn't Uncle Albert lose to
Papa?" Clementine inquired, staring at her father who, in turn, was caught
speechless.
Beauchamp settled back into his seat
and chuckled. "Albert may be morally upright, but the poor guy is also
sexually repressed."
True enough, Bertuccio and Baptistin
were squirming uncomfortably on opposite sides of the curtained entryway
leading to the Prince's Box.
Baptistin loosened the bowtie that
seemed so tight all of a sudden with his index finger.
It was ever patient Bertuccio who
could no longer tolerate his discomfiture. Edging close to the curtain,
he called, "Gentlemen, would you two please tone it down in there?"
At that moment, Albert was pumping
in vigorous abandon inside Gankutsuou's heated flesh. The tuxedo lay discarded
on the floor, his shirt unbuttoned, giving his lover full access to his
breasts. Albert was conveniently positioned within the circle of the entity's
trapped legs, the black trousers snagged around his ankles.
"Albert, you bastard!" Gankutsuou
gasped as he bucked his hips to meet those frenzied thrusts. "When I said
that I would repay you, I didn't mean we'd do it here. What if people see
us?"
"No, they won't," Albert grunted,
stroking the Nightingale's hard length. "Besides, where's your sense of
adventure?"
Gankutsuou pressed his fingers into
Albert's cheeks. "I was thinking about how this could ruin your reputation,
fool!" He accentuated that word with a light slap on his lover's face.
But the entity was more worried about
Etienne. Many times, he called out to the Nightingale to take his place.
The singer, however, remained grimly silent, but Gankutsuou could feel
the young man's seething anger.
Then a blunt head brushed against
his pressure point and Gankutsuou let out a lust-filled cry. Albert lapped
on a tiny nipple and murmured, "My reputation is the last thing I have
on my mind right now. Sorry, Etienne, but I can't hold back any longer!"
"Monsieur Delacroix?" an inquiring
voice came over the loud speaker.
With a whimper, Albert spilled his
release into the entity's body, at the same time, his hand closed around
his lover's stiff erection.
"Albert, damn it!" Gankutsuou hissed.
"Let me come!"
"WAIT!"
"Monsieur Delacroix? Are you well
up there?"
"It's Monsieur Verano," Albert told
the entity beneath him. "He's calling out to you."
To Gankutsuou's horror, his lover
was prodding him to sit up. As he hastily buttoned up his shirt, he asked
in panic, "Don't tell me I have to answer him?" He glanced down at his
hard member that Albert still held in his hand. "Certainly not in this
state!"
"Don't worry! I'll take care of this,"
Albert said, grinning wolfishly.
When he had put himself in a semblance
of order, Gankutsuou stood up. He was thankful for the high ledges. Just
as Albert had noticed, no one would see that he was wearing nothing from
his waist down.
"Yes, Signore Verano. I am well,"
Gankutsuou replied to the opera star's inquiry. "Forgive me, but I've had
an attack of a terrible headache. Thankfully, it cleared away so that I
was able to listen to your performance in the lounge. Perhaps, I could
watch you perform another time when my illness is not troubling me."
"I will be very pleased to sing to
you once more, Monsieur Delacroix," Verano beamed as he stood on the stage
with the rest of the opera's cast. "However, I fear that I am about to
make an unfair request of you."
"And what is that?"
"I am begging you. I'm sure everyone
here will beg this of you as well. Please grace us with even one song.
This great stage of the Paris Opera House awaits you. Nothing would please
me more than to hear the Nightingale of Luna sing."
"Forgive me, Signore Verano, but
I can't. I feel my voice would be less than perfect because of my illness.
Besides that, I am but a lowly performer from a Luna nightclub. I cannot
sing on that stage where the greatest legends in opera, including yourself,
had performed upon. I am not worthy."
"Oh please, Monsieur Delacroix?"
the opera singer asked in earnest. "You could sing only a few lines from
one song. Please do not deprive us of the opportunity to listen, even briefly,
to your beautiful voice."
:Etienne�I can't sing�: Gankutsuou
pleaded to the Nightingale.
:You'll fix this mess on your
own, Gankutsuou,: was Etienne's firm reply.
Caught between a request that he
dared not decline and a painful erection between his legs, Gankutsuou gazed
down at Albert. "What am I going to do?"
Albert smiled and answered, "Just
do what you do best. Sing, Etienne. And like I said, I'll take care of
this."
Sighing in defeat, the entity turned
to the opera star once more. "Very well, Signore. I shall accede to your
request. But rather than sing on the stage, let me perform for you from
here."
Verano was elated by that answer.
At that height, surely the Nightingale did not have the power to project
his voice as well as he did. "Thank you, Monsieur Delacroix." The opera
singer did not even bother to offer a microphone.
Gankutsuou took a deep breath and
then he hummed the opening notes of his favorite love song from Janina.
The alien words spilled from his lips with ease, his voice like sweet wine
as it poured through the sad, lilting melody. For a moment, he faltered
as Albert took his member inside his mouth and began to suckle. The sensations
that were being drawn from him and the pain inside his heart gave power
to his voice and his song that it echoed throughout the hushed hall.
The opera star was caught speechless.
He had hoped that the Nightingale of Luna would prove to be a disappointment.
Far from it. Etienne Delacroix's voice surpassed even his own, his song
filling the entire hall with its haunting melody. Everyone was silenced
by its power and the emotions that it was forcing out of them. It shocked
Verano to see himself responding sensually to that voice.
Albert, on the other hand, had lost
himself in his lover's beautiful voice as well as in the silken steel that
he had deep in his throat. He knew that Etienne came when the singer shuddered
and poured out his sweet fluid inside his mouth. But that sweetness was
replaced by the sting of salt upon his tongue. As he released the Nightingale's
member, he was shocked to see the tears pouring from Etienne's eyes.
When the song came to a trembling
end, applause erupted from the audience below as they gave the Nightingale
a standing ovation. Gankutsuou, however, was unmindful of the adulation
that was being given to him. With only a small bow and a softly uttered
"Thank you", he fled from the Prince's Box, ran past a startled Bertuccio
and Baptistin, and locked himself inside the bathroom. His body shook as
he sobbed, clamping his hand over his mouth to stop the flow of tears.
:Etienne�:
:You feel hurt, Gankutsuou?: Etienne
asked bitterly. :Surely it could not compare to the pain inside my heart,
knowing that you may have possibly deceived me.:

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Gankutsuou Reborn