Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So what do you do actually?”

Annie asks this to the figure walking in step next to her. It’s their third date, and she’s only now asking her partner what their work is. Her own is no secret, after all she was asked out while at work. Right when she was standing behind the counter of Warrior Coffee House, cup in hand, on a busy morning with a line of customers waiting for their coffee fix, as her potential date stuttered and stumbled through the asking. It was absolutely tactless, but at the same time, she acknowledges the courage it took. And well, she wasn’t going to deny that they’d been exchanging too many looks for too many days already. So underneath the name Mikasa she scribbled her number and handed over the cup. Mikasa walked out with an empty coffee cup that morning, not that she thinks Mikasa minded at all, if the text she received almost instantly is any indication. She’s starting to believe Mikasa isn’t even a coffee person, but that’s blasphemous.

Their first date had been a simple dinner. The second, a walk in the park. Literally, they had walked around aimlessly in a park. But Annie didn’t dislike it. Not when all they did was talk as they strolled along. Not when long periods of silence descended upon them. Not when Mikasa reached for her hand partway through and held on until the end. And definitely not when, having walked her home, Mikasa requested to see her again.

There is something there between them, something she felt the moment she laid eyes on Mikasa. She’s quite certain Mikasa feels it too. And, disaster asking out aside, she is glad for Mikasa’s frankness because she definitely wants this third date just as much.

Lowering her take away green tea latte from her mouth, Mikasa looks Annie’s way. “Me? I’m an actor.”

Annie takes a sip of her own flat white, Mikasa’s idea of something sweet to complement their lunch. She raises her eyebrow. “An actor?”

Mikasa nods. “And now you’re wondering if you’ve ever seen me on television.” Annie wonders if she is that easy to read. “You won’t. I’m a stage actor.”

“Stage actor?”

“Yes. I’m with the SC Company, we’re currently working over at the Trost Theatre, you know, the one three blocks from where you work. Our new production opens next week; you might have seen the posters around. It’s a musical.”

That’s unexpected. She has indeed seen the posters, even heard of the company. Walking by the theatre every day to work, it does appear to be quite a big thing. Could she be dating a super star right now? “I have. Phantom of the Opera, right?” Mikasa smiles as confirmation. Annie smiles as well. “That’s my favourite musical, actually. Who do you play?”

“The principal ballerina in the ballet act of Il Muto. And various other ballerina extras.”

The answer is so blunt and immediate that for a moment Annie isn’t sure if it’s a joke or not. Then she snorts. “Really?”

“What, did you think I’d be Christine?”

While Mikasa clearly don’t seem to mind being laughed at, Annie decides not to be mean. She drinks her coffee, clearing her throat. “I imagined a bigger role.”

“Unfortunately,” Mikasa sighs, though the noise is anything but sad. Instead, Mikasa circles in front of Annie, her expression turning mischievous. “However, sometimes I do like to pretend I’m the Phantom after rehearsals and I’ll put on the mask and prowl around the stage. I even have a scar here on my face,” she says as she brings her right hand up to point at the scar underneath her eye before covering one half of her face to emulate the mask. “Would you like to join me? You can be Christine to my Phantom and I’ll stalk you around the theatre while we sing The Phantom of the Opera together.”

Seeing Mikasa grinning cheekily, Annie can’t help but find it cute. She laughs a little, side-stepping Mikasa to keep walking. “You’re quite silly,” she says, but it is a term of endearment. She waits for Mikasa to fall back in step with her. “Is that your favourite song?”

Mikasa shakes her head. “It’s a great song, being the title song. The energy, and how it all builds to that climax where the Phantom commands Christine to sing for him is really amazing, but to me it’s only second place.”

“Oh? So which is first place?”

“The Point of No Return.”

“And why, if I may?”

Mikasa contemplates briefly. “I suppose, because it is the culmination point? No, that’s not it. I like what it is about. It’s the ultimate song of seduction. It’s sensual, erotic, romantic.”

“You like that it’s about seduction?”

A shrug is Mikasa’s only reply although she doesn’t hide the guilty smile. “And yours? What’s your favourite?”

“Mine…” Annie pauses in her step before looking Mikasa’s way. “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” she answers, and doesn’t wait for Mikasa to ask why. “It’s the only song that Christine sings truly on her own, and well, it’s one thing she and I have in common.”

It isn’t her intention to dampen the mood with that reveal, but Mikasa’s sudden silence seems to indicate that she has. She wonders if she should tell Mikasa not to mind it, that it was something that happened so long ago that she herself doesn’t mind it anymore. She certainly doesn’t want any empty condolences or pity. Annie opens her mouth to speak but Mikasa cuts her to it, circling ahead to face her again.

“Will you come to the theatre today, after rehearsals? It’s your day off, right?”

Annie doesn’t side step Mikasa this time. “Why?”

“I want to see you.”

Mikasa looks her in the eyes as she says that and Annie feels her breath hitch. She looks away, clearing her throat. “But why the theatre?”

Mikasa smiles small, reaching in to take Annie’s free hand with her own, gently pulling as she starts to walk backwards. Annie obliges, following after Mikasa. “Sing with me. Let’s pretend to be Phantom and Christine.”

“What? No, no, I couldn’t,” Annie shakes her head. “I can’t sing the songs.”

“Nonsense. You can’t convince me that someone who says that Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again is their favourite song instead of the titular The Phantom of the Opera or the more prominent Music of the Night or Angel of Music has never tried singing the songs.”

“Well I have, but it’s got to be terrible—”

Mikasa shushes her, putting one finger to her lips. Although it is Mikasa’s own finger, since her hands are still firmly encased within Mikasa’s, it brought her fingers close to Mikasa’s lips as well. It lets her feel Mikasa’s breath rushing past her skin.

“I’m not asking you to sing it perfectly. Just sing however you want to. With me.” Mikasa lowers their hands, softly squeezing Annie’s. “I’ll wait for you. Nine-thirty.”

*

Despite finding the notion of singing with Mikasa absolutely ridiculous, Annie is nevertheless at the theatre at nine. There are people streaming out of the building, presumably the rest of the cast. She waits outside, and at nine-fifteen Mikasa shows up. And she can’t help the warmth she feels at the way Mikasa’s expression lights up upon seeing her.

“Annie! You’re early,” Mikasa remarks.

Annie only nods and Mikasa stays outside with her until nine-thirty, waiting for everyone to leave so that they will have the stage to themselves. Rehearsals end at nine, apparently. Mikasa is serious about singing, apparently. Fifteen minutes later without any movement from the entrance either in or out for the past five minutes, Mikasa decides that everyone has left and leads Annie in.

Mikasa doesn’t however, lead her straight to the stage, instead giving her an impromptu tour of the theatre starting from the back rooms where they pass by the dressing rooms, the prop room, and the costume room. It’s all very fascinating, in the never had access to backstage areas sort of way, but also overwhelming, so she just follows where Mikasa leads. It is only at the costume room where Mikasa grabs a cloak and the Phantom’s iconic mask for herself, and a clip on the waist detachable skirt presumably for her as Christine, that she speaks up. But Mikasa merely waves of her concern for the skirt’s fit and reassures her that it will be fine before continuing their journey to the stage. They’re at the side door when a voice calls out.

“Oh, Mikasa! You’re still here?”

They turn at the voice and Annie sees a man who looks to be in his early forties with blond hair and a short, stubbly moustache.

“Hannes,” Mikasa says in greeting.

“And I see you’ve got a lady friend with you! Getting busy eh, Mikasa? This is the fifth girl you’ve brought here this month!”

“Hannes!” Mikasa repeats, louder this time.

The slightly raised volume of Mikasa’s voice surprises her that it takes her two seconds to realize what the man named Hannes just said. And when she does, she doesn’t get the chance to react for Hannes is already laughing heartily. Not that she would have believed it anyway. Someone smooth enough to have brought four other girls here before her wouldn’t have fumbled the way Mikasa did while asking her out, after all.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry. Bad joke that one,” he says while shooting Annie a wink. “Don’t you worry about a thing, young lady. Mikasa is as fine a person as they come. Take my word for it, I’ve known her since she was a kid.”

Mikasa only sighs, looking away, and Annie wonders if she’s hiding a red face. After all, the immediate impression she’s getting of Hannes is that of one of those uncles or next door neighbours who have known you far too long and takes great amusement from embarrassing you in front of your friends.

“I’m Hannes by the way, the building manager,” Hannes says, offering his hand.

Annie takes it. “Annie.”

“An honour to meet you Annie,” he smiles, so unassuming and genuine that Annie thoughtlessly returns it. He smiles just a little wider and then turns towards Mikasa. “So Mikasa, you’re planning on doing your one-person Phantom act again tonight?”

Mikasa scowls at him. “Don’t make it sound pathetic. And it’s not a one-person act tonight. I have Christine with me.”

Mikasa looks her way with a smile, reaching for her hand and while Annie still isn’t so sure about the whole singing thing, she isn’t opposed to the warmth of Mikasa’s hand or the gentleness in her eyes, so she nods her head.

“Ah, young love!” Hannes exclaims, laughing exaggeratedly. “Don’t let me get in the way then.” He quickly opens the stage door before patting Mikasa’s head. “Have fun. Let me know when you’re done.”

Mikasa utters her thanks and Hannes disappears down the corridor whence he came. Still holding on to her hand, Mikasa leads Annie up the small flight of stairs to the stage and Annie marvels at it. Her steps echo in the large hall, the lights from the stage illuminating the audience seats. It isn’t a big stage, but there’s a cozy feel to it. There’s a table and several chairs at a corner, but whether these are actual props or not, Annie can’t really tell.

Much of the stage is bare save the huge bridge-like structure spanning both ends, held up in the air by wires. Its current position is low enough to be climbed onto via the pair of hidden mobile stairs. If memory serves, this structure should be utilized to show the descent into the Phantom’s lair, as well as to symbolize the treacherous labyrinths of the Opera’s upper levels.

Annie doesn’t notice when Mikasa lets go of her hand, but suddenly it is lifted, palm up, on which Mikasa places a thin booklet. The mirror cracked words of The Phantom of the Opera adorns its front cover.

“What is this?”

“Production booklet. It has all the cast and credits, the acts, the song titles, as well as the song lyrics.” Mikasa grins. “Should you need them.”

Annie stares at the booklet, reminded once again that Mikasa is serious about singing together. She watches as said person proceeds to gingerly clip on the detachable skirt on her waist, surprising her that it fit just like Mikasa said it would. Mikasa then pulls on her Phantom cloak before finally slipping on the mask, and oddly, just like the skirt, that fit too. Almost like it was made for Mikasa’s face.

“We’ll sing our favourites, you Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, and then we can sing The Point of No Return together. Oh, I guess I should sing something else too in that case,” Mikasa muses, adjusting her cloak.

Annie fingers the cloth of her skirt, still watching the other. “Mikasa…I’m really not sure about this.”

Mikasa stops her adjusting but smiles small like she had been expecting all along for Annie to say that. “You’ll refuse me now? We’re already on the stage.”

“I know. I came here willingly, but I just,” Annie sighs, shaking her head. “I just feel like I’ll be making a big fool of myself.”

“And so would I,” Mikasa replies. “We’ll do it together. And laugh about it together. Remember, I’m not the Phantom. I’m just a ballerina.”

“So why are we doing this again, if we’re just going to make a fool of ourselves?”

“To have fun, of course. I’ll start first, alright?” Mikasa starts to back away, producing her phone from the pocket of her pants. Walking to the table on the corner, she places the device down and taps a few buttons. “It’s a shame we don’t have the orchestra to accompany us, so this will have to do for now.”

Annie guesses that Mikasa has the music on her phone, but before she can even ask which song it is, whether it will involve Christine, wait she’s not prepared yet, Mikasa presses a button and she hears the first note. Immediately Mikasa sings—

[[Night time sharpens heightens each sensation]]

—and all at once she is struck by many things. Mikasa is singing Music of The Night, which is an entirely Phantom song, so she can relax and just listen. Mikasa is looking at her as she sings -with a fixed stare that is neither intense nor gentle- and it makes her mouth go dry. Mikasa’s singing voice is low and deep, so completely unlike her speaking one, and it resonates around the stage yet it is not without the softness that envelopes the song.

[[Silently the senses abandon their defences]]

Mikasa tenderly pulls the last note, and Annie has to resist gaping, never having heard anything more beautiful. But the moment passes as the music transitions into the next verse, and Mikasa begins to approach Annie, circling her slowly even as she continues to sing.

[[Slowly gently night unfurls its splendour]]

[[Grasp it sense it tremulous and tender]]

Mikasa steps closer suddenly, and Annie doesn’t know how she knows, but she figures from Mikasa’s half lifted hand that Mikasa is asking for permission to touch her, and Annie gives it with a nod. She feels the backs of Mikasa’s fingers brushing against her jawline, slightly pushing her face to turn away from the stage lights and look towards the dark audience seats.

[[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]]

To ease the strain in her neck Annie turns her whole body to face the audience, feeling Mikasa settle behind her. The fingers are gone from her jaw but the sensation tingles still.

[[Close your eyes—]]

And here Mikasa covers her eyes with her hands, dropping them away once Annie closes them.

[[—and surrender to your darkest dreams]]

She keeps her eyes closed, settling herself to just listen to Mikasa’s voice next to her ear. She tries to hear all of it, its intonation, its pitch, its tremor, its strength, its kindness; she feels its peaks and lows, feels the way it seems to wrap around her in a warm serenade. Was this how Christine felt as the Phantom sang to her? Was she utterly confused at everything that was happening, at the Phantom taking her away to his lair, at the twisted beauty of his house by the lake, at the mysterious man with a mask, yet completely captivated by his commanding charisma, by his voice?

Hands on her shoulders snaps her out of her reverie, and Annie opens her eyes to look at Mikasa, to watch as Mikasa trails one hand down her right arm from her shoulder to grasp her hand, lifting it up to kiss her knuckles lightly in between the lines of the song. Heat spreads from the point of contact. Annie sucks in a breath. Mikasa smiles.

[[The darkness of the music of the night]]

[[Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world]]

And then Mikasa is backing away, walking backwards one step at a time, their hands sliding off of each other’s when Mikasa steps out of reach. She doesn’t beckon for Annie to follow her, but Annie does it anyway, matching Mikasa’s strides. After all, isn’t she supposed to be Christine? She might as well play along. So Annie gazes after Mikasa, summoning the most enthralled expression she could manage, and mirrors the masked figure’s movements. When Mikasa looks right, when she looks left, Annie does the same, exploring her new world and letting her soul take her where she longs to be.

The song goes soft again and Mikasa halts, having led them to one side of the stage. She stretches one hand out to Annie, seemingly in request for Annie’s own. It is granted, and Annie places her hand upon Mikasa’s where it is instantly brought up to Mikasa’s unmasked cheek to brush against the skin with the back of her palm.

[[Touch me trust me savour each sensation]]

But despite the lyrics, Annie doesn’t get to savour the sensation for long as Mikasa proceeds to pull her back to the centre of the stage, the volume of Mikasa’s voice rising with the intensity of the final chorus. And then comes the short musical interlude in which Christine faints, but somehow Annie doesn’t think that is what Mikasa wants her to do, and it would be embarrassing in the event Mikasa fails to catch her. Mikasa smirks at her like she knows just what Annie had been thinking about before stepping back just slightly to wrap her cloak around herself and bow deeply at Annie. When Mikasa straightens again the cloak is flung back almost dramatically, and Annie would have laughed if not for Mikasa grasping both her hands and staring right into her eyes.

[[You alone can make my song take flight]]

[[Help me make the music of the night]]

The way Mikasa stretches that last note, higher and higher until it is but the softest whisper, is impressive. Annie stares back into Mikasa’s eyes, seeing the satisfied glint that accompanies the smooth smile on her face, hearing the music fade away to nothingness, until all she could hear is the sound of their breathing. Only then does she speak.

“You’re a liar.”

It clearly shows on Mikasa’s face that she did not expect that statement to be the first words out of Annie’s mouth. “How so?”

“You haven’t made a fool out of yourself at all. You were amazing.” Annie isn’t particularly angry, or accusing, though perhaps she does feel a just a little cheated as well as a whole lot of awe. Maybe it’s that she expected things to go differently, that Mikasa would be a normal person like her and sing in remarkable off-key, running out of breath, unable to hit the notes, instead of this near perfect rendition. She looks again at the mask, noting how it fit Mikasa’s face all too well. “You’re the Phantom.”

Okay, that last bit is definitely accusing, but Mikasa, realizing what Annie meant by calling her a liar, merely chuckles a little.

“I’m not, really. I can prove it.” Mikasa gestures to the production booklet that Annie is surprised to find she is still holding on to. “Look at page six, the cast page.”

Annie quickly flips to the page in question and sure enough, Mikasa is telling the truth for her name is not listed next to the Phantom, or any of the other main cast. Not even the supporting cast. “Is your name really Mikasa?”

Mikasa laughs incredulously. “Annie! You doubt me that much?”

Admittedly, Mikasa lying about her name is probably too far-fetched. She decides to try another approach. “Okay, no. Why aren’t you the Phantom then? You sang so well.”

“Thank you,” Mikasa smiles. “I did actually audition for the role of the Phantom. Our casting director, Hange, told me that if the casting based solely on skill, the role would have been mine.”

“But?” Annie prods.

“But,” Mikasa continues, “Hange placed higher importance on the chemistry between the Phantom and Christine. The role of Christine had been set at that point, so I sang with her. And the result is that someone else had more chemistry with her than I did.”

Annie looks again at the cast page, seeing the names Ymir and Krista Lenz under the Phantom and Christine respectively. Then she looks further down, at Raoul’s entry, because if Mikasa didn’t get the Phantom role then she should at least have gotten Raoul, but under Raoul’s name she finds the name Jean Kirstein, with four handwritten words messily scribbled next to it.

She frowns when she reads them. “Jean Kirstein is a horse face?”

When Mikasa frowns as well, Annie shows her the words, and then Mikasa snorts. “This must be my brother’s copy. He and Jean don’t get along very well.”

“You have a brother?”

“Yes. His name is Eren. He’s part of the Company too, but you won’t find him in the cast list. He hates romance stories, so he volunteered for stage work and support roles.”

“I see,” Annie says as she absently browses through the rest of the pages of the booklet. Finding nothing else interesting, she snaps it shut. She looks back at Mikasa critically. “Alright, so if you’re good enough to be the Phantom had it not been for the lack of chemistry, why are you relegated to the role of a ballerina? A non-singing role?” Annie waits a moment, and then she adds, “And why does that mask seem like it was made for your face?”

That last question is the one that really matters honestly, because she saw Mikasa take the mask from the prop room, meaning it’s the official mask. The mask fits Mikasa’s face and yet Mikasa is not the Phantom. It’s not impossible that Mikasa’s facial structure is similar enough to the actual Phantom actor Ymir to enable her to wear the mask, but Annie isn’t going to bet on that unlikely chance.

Mikasa lifts her arms in surrender. “You’re really not going to let this go, are you? Alright, I was offered the part of Raoul instead but I refused it. I don’t like Raoul, so I told Hange I’d rather have a non-singing role than play Raoul. And so, on account of my ballet background, I got the role of the ballerina but since Hange did like my Phantom, Hange also made me the understudy, hence the mask.” Mikasa ends her explanation by tapping at the mask. She smirks at Annie. “Is that satisfactory?”

Annie huffs, but she drops the interrogative mode. “Just enough. Why the dislike for Raoul though?”

“Do you like him?”

Annie narrows her eyes. “It’s rude to answer a question with a question.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Mikasa replies and then she hums thoughtfully. “Hmm, Raoul…behaves appropriately for someone raised in that social standing and luxury, so it’s not fair to fault him for it, but he’s insensitive. He spends the first half of the story convincing Christine that the Phantom was her imagination and dismisses her fear. And when he realizes that the Phantom is real, he doesn’t think to take Christine away from there, instead he uses her as bait to draw the Phantom in out of some sort of selfish ego battle to settle a score and win Christine. I do not want to portray such a lover.”

“Right,” Annie nods. She has to admit she’s never really thought that much about the intricacies of the story and the characters. Then again, she’s not someone who needs to understand those intricacies. But Mikasa’s last sentence does pique her interest. “So what kind of lover do you want to portray?”

Mikasa hums again, picking the production booklet from Annie’s hands. “A supportive lover. A lover who hopefully, has made you feel at ease, comfortable, safe.” Mikasa flips the booklet open to a certain page and then places it back into Annie’s hand. “Safe enough to let me hear you sing.”

Annie looks down at the booklet, seeing the page open to the lyrics of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. She looks back up at Mikasa and true to her words, Mikasa is sporting a supportive smile.

“I won’t laugh.”

Annie snorts at Mikasa’s attempt to be reassuring. It’s perhaps the most generic thing to say, but strangely it does calm her somewhat and she finds that on the flipside, she wants to make it so that Mikasa can’t laugh. She chose not to tell Mikasa before, but she really isn’t a bad singer. She takes a breath, closing the booklet. “You won’t have the chance.” She wears a smirk, pushing the booklet back to Mikasa. “And I don’t need this. I know the words.”

Mikasa’s smile grows as Annie’s meaning sinks in. She takes the booklet, tossing it away. “Alright. I’ll start the music.”

Annie takes to adjusting the hood of her hoodie as Mikasa heads to the table. She brings it up to rest on the top of her bun, mostly to set the atmosphere. After all, Christine too wears a hooded cloak when she visits the cemetery. Tucking the hood in place, she turns to face the audience, breathing deeply. She doesn’t look at Mikasa because this song isn’t for her, so she closes her eyes and thinks of the person it is for. Mikasa asks if she’s ready, and she lifts her hand to show the okay sign. And then she hears the music.

Annie breathes.

[[You were once my one companion]]

[[You were all that mattered]]

[[You were once a friend and father]]

[[Then my world was shattered]]

Annie opens her eyes, sees the dark, empty audience seats, and keeps the words flowing out of her mouth. She doesn’t hear anything from Mikasa, which is just as well. Mikasa is probably somewhere just listening, staying out of the way due to the nature of the song, and because she knows what it means to her.

[[Wishing you were somehow here again]]

[[Wishing you were somehow near]]

She starts to feel her stiffness flow out together with the words, and so Annie embraces the relaxation, letting her head and arms move as naturally as they could. She looks around, up, down, left, right, and she gestures gently with her hands, but most of all she recalls. Those hot summer days in the backyard, her aching leg muscles as she kicks the sandbag again and again, his large frame shielding her from the rays of the sun, his hand on her shoulder praising her for a job well done.

[[Dreaming of you won't help me to do]]

[[All that you dreamed I could]]

Those were her most vivid memories, but that isn’t all she recalls. Annie starts to pace deliberately, remembering the winter night when she hears the news. Answering the knock on the door, seeing the men she recognizes as his colleagues, following them to the hospital while they try to tell her what happened but she just can’t hear them over the rapid beating of her heart, finding him on the hospital bed unable to move save his eyes. He cries when he sees her. Two days later he smiles at her for the last time. And she smiles back. She refuse to have her crying face be the last thing he sees.

Annie pauses her pacing and with it, stops her train of thought. It’s threatening to overwhelm her and now is neither the time nor place for any of that. Thankfully, the song segues into the brief musical interlude and so she quickly takes the chance to clear her mind with a deep breath. She turns around, facing the stage, looking for something else to focus on and then realizes that Mikasa isn’t anywhere to be found. The phone is gone from the table too but the music is still playing and it reverberates off the walls such that Annie can’t tell where it’s coming from.

She tries to look for the source, quite sure it’s still on the stage somewhere, she tries to look for the person, but she locates neither and the musical interlude ends, signalling her entry. She misses it in favour of a breath.

[[—many years fighting back tears]]

[[Why can't the past just die?]]

She decides to concentrate on the song for now, not wanting any more lapses as it proceeds into the most demanding part. It’s also the most powerful part, emotionally and vocally, and Annie isn’t even sure she could pull it off but what she does know is that it is impossible if she’s distracted. Mikasa is watching her, she can feel it, and she damn well don’t intend to give Mikasa any fuel to laugh at her. It’s not that she believes Mikasa even would, but well the thought doesn’t hurt, and if anything, the feeling of competition never fails to fuel her.

[[Wishing you were somehow here again]]

[[Knowing we must say goodbye]]

Her voice soars with the climax of the song and this time she thinks of Christine, standing before her father’s snowy tomb on that cold morning. Annie thinks of what she must have felt, the emotions that she wanted to express, lost and in need of guidance. Lost and in need of her father’s warmth. It works and Annie hits all the notes. It won’t win her any awards, but she thinks it’s good enough to impress. She turns around and faces back to the audience as the song comes to its end.

[[Help me say goodbye]]

[[Help me say goodbye]]

The music peters out and soon there is nothing but silence. Annie takes a deep breath, feeling rather accomplished, when she hears a slow clapping sound echoing from the audience seats. She looks down and Mikasa is there, slowly approaching the stage whilst clapping. She takes to wondering when Mikasa got there to distract from the warmth blooming on her cheeks but as Mikasa climbs up the stage, still clapping all the while, smiling softly at her, the warmth only intensifies.

Mikasa stops before her and finally ceases the clapping in favour of grasping her hands. “You were amazing. I couldn’t even laugh if I wanted to. That was beautiful.”

Annie smiles with just a little bit of smug. “I told you that you wouldn’t have the chance.”

“Indeed. You really showed me,” Mikasa says and then releasing Annie’s hands, she reaches up to undo the hood from Annie’s bun. Her fingers lace into Annie’s hair, grasping the hood as she slowly guides it down. She doesn’t let it go. Annie stares up at Mikasa, feeling her heart beat at their proximity. At length, Mikasa smiles and steps back. “What did he dream you could do?”

Annie immediately catches the reference to the lyrics of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, raising an eyebrow at the question. It’s just a song, really. She doesn’t think there really was something her father dreamed she could do. Or maybe he never got to tell her. Or she never got to tell him. Regardless, Annie plays along.

“Conquer the world.”

Mikasa shows a look of surprise, and then she chuckles. “I see. That would indeed be rather difficult.” She reaches to take Annie’s hands into her own Annie allows it, still quite affected by their proximity. Or maybe it is all the singing. It feels as though Mikasa is very close, even as Annie herself doesn’t understand what that means. Mikasa lifts their hands, bringing them close to her chest. “If it’s any consolation, you’ve certainly conquered my world.”

The back of her hand touches Mikasa’s chest and beneath it Annie feels her heartbeat. It is not fast but steady, strong, just like Mikasa’s gaze upon her. She lets her hand remain there, pushing closer, wanting to feel Mikasa’s heart beat into her palm.

“That was cheesy,” Annie says softly, letting her gaze lock onto Mikasa’s own.

Mikasa only smiles. “Do you hate it?”

To that Annie shakes her head. How could she? Cheesy as it may be, no one had ever said anything like that to her before. Cheesy as it may be, Annie can see only sincerity Mikasa’s eyes. She means what she says, and how could Annie hate that? To know that this heart, right at this moment, beats for her, hate is the furthest from what she’s feeling. Probably.

“Good.” Mikasa squeezes her hands once. “I’ll try not to overdo it though.”

Annie laughs at Mikasa’s cheeky grin but lets herself smile appreciatively because yes, as much as she didn’t hate it, the cheesiness would lose its lustre if Mikasa does it all the time. In that instance, she feels something shift in the energy between them, it is relaxed yet charged, light yet heavy, and then Mikasa is tugging her along through their joined hands deeper into the stage to where the table and chairs are, with the bridge directly above them.

“Shall we proceed with the final song?”

Mikasa lets go of her hands, but looks at her fully as she asks this. The final song. The Point of No Return. Somehow, standing here on the stage with Mikasa, Annie begins to get the sense that there is a double meaning to this song. That, once they’ve sung it, some line would have been crossed. And that there would be no going back from there. Annie looks at Mikasa, raises a brow, and wonders if Mikasa is thinking the same. If the reason Mikasa brought her here to sing songs together is precisely because of this.

Or maybe...she’s overthinking this. Mikasa returns her look, questioning but patient, and suddenly Annie recalls what Mikasa said earlier today when they talked about the songs. What was it she said? Culmination point? No, it’s the ultimate song of seduction. It’s sensual, erotic, romantic. That’s what she said. Annie feels a smile pulling at the ends of her lips and when she sees Mikasa innocently mirroring it, she almost wants to put her face into her hands and laugh. This goof. She’s definitely overthinking it. Maybe there is some line they’ll cross, some point of no return, but Mikasa? Mikasa simply wants to seduce her.

“Annie?”

Annie nods, realizing she’s taking too long to answer. “Yeah, let’s.”

The glint in Mikasa’s eyes changes at her reply, from quiet uncertainty to ardent passion. Annie’s mirth all but disappears in the face of that and when Mikasa flips back her cloak almost showily even as she walks to the table to retrieve her phone, Annie feels her mouth dry up. At this point, she’s not sure she needs to be seduced. Even half masked, Annie sees the lines of Mikasa’s face. The arch of her eyebrow, her high cheekbones, her defined jaw. Mikasa is incredibly attractive. She remembers the smooth of Mikasa’s skin when Mikasa held her hand to her cheek, the feel of Mikasa’s fingers on her own jaw, the touch of Mikasa’s lips on her knuckles, the heat of their clasped hands, the heartbeat under her palm. She remembers them all. There’s no denying then, that the warmth now blooming in her chest is the result of all she remembers.

And to think, they haven’t even started singing yet. Annie tries to swallow, finds it difficult, clears her throat, and tries again. Get a grip. “Mikasa.”

Ever attentive, Mikasa is already looking her way, possibly having heard her clear her throat. “What is it?”

Annie takes to looking around her, at the chairs and the bridge. “How do we go about this?”

Mikasa lowers the phone in her hand and like Annie, takes a look around. It’s a valid question after all. The previous songs were both solos, so they could both do whatever they wanted. Annie followed Mikasa’s lead. Mikasa gave Annie her space. But this song is a duet. They should both know what is to be expected of them.

“Is there anything you want for us to do?”

“Well,” Mikasa’s gaze shoots up to the bridge, contemplative. She seems to consider what to say but at length her gaze drops back down with a shrug. “I thought we’d just go with the flow of the song. Adapt to each other. After all, the Phantom and Christine played it by ear too.”

That shouldn’t be the answer she wants to hear. The uncertainty of what to do should be unsettling, yet Annie couldn’t deny it is also exciting. Had this been the first song, she would surely protest. But now, she’s almost eager to see how things will proceed. “Alright. I’ll follow you.”

“And I you,” Mikasa replies, a knowing smile beckoning Annie as she places her phone on the table. Annie approaches and sees what is on the screen. The Point of No Return. Mikasa slides the phone towards her. “Press play when you’re ready.”

And then Mikasa is backing away, not breaking eye contact until she disappears behind the backstage curtains. Of course. That’s where the Phantom appears from in this song. Annie takes a deep breath to compose herself, suddenly more nervous than before. Taking one last look at where Mikasa is waiting, she turns to the phone on the table. It’s okay. She’s not the first to sing. Just let Mikasa lead, and just follow along. Sitting herself down on a chair facing the audience, she places her hands on the table as she lightly taps the play button. The music starts.

[[Passarino, go away for the trap is set and waits for its prey]]

She hears the swish of the curtain parting.

[[You have come here, in pursuit of your deepest urge]]

[[In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent, silent]]

The sound of Mikasa’s voice raises goosebumps on her skin. Low and deep, but without the gentle and tender quality it had in Music of The Night. Instead, it is commanding and alluring, powerful and hopeful. She finds herself resisting the urge to turn and look at Mikasa, at least not yet. She is to be seduced after all, with this ultimate song of seduction. What is the use if she gives in at the very sound of Mikasa’s voice?

[[I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge]]

[[In your mind you’ve already succumbed to me, dropped all defences]]

[[Completely succumbed to me]]

Mikasa appears in her periphery as stealthily as a shadow and as Annie glances up at her—

[[And now you are here with me]]

—all thoughts of resisting fades away with the smoulder of Mikasa’s gaze.

[[No second thoughts]]

[[You’ve decided, decided]]

A hand is offered and Annie swallows as she takes it, standing up.

[[Past the point of no return]]

[[No backward glances]]

With almost painstaking slowness, Mikasa leads her forward, away from the table and chairs, away from the hanging bridge, right up to the edge of the stage. But despite standing at the point where the hall is most open, Annie doesn’t break the contact of the penetrating grey eyes that hasn’t strayed from hers, all fire and desire within them. Mikasa releases her hand then, beginning instead to circle around her deliberately as she continues singing. Annie stays rooted on the spot, following Mikasa’s movement with her head, and the sensation of standing there, exposed, watching Mikasa watching her so intensely, is not something she even knows how to describe. Vulnerable. Thrilling. Maybe both.

Suddenly she feels like she understands completely how Christine felt as she stood on this stage, with the audience watching her, the performers watching her, the managers watching her, the police watching her, and Raoul watching her; unable to hide how absolutely the Phantom has her in his grasp. How thoroughly swayed she was.

Mikasa slips behind her in her circling then, finally breaking their gazes and with it, the tension in her chest lets up slightly. Annie releases a breath, nonetheless knowing, knowing that Mikasa is still watching her intently, and it sends a shiver down her spine as she hears that same intensity in Mikasa’s voice.

[[What raging fire shall flood the soul?]]

[[ What rich desire unlocks its door? ]]

[[What sweet seduction lies before us?]]

She almost dares not re-establish their eye contact when Mikasa reappears on the other side of her. Almost. But she does. And the sight of Mikasa catches her breath again. It’s strange. Mikasa has done practically nothing but stare at her and sing, unlike Music of The Night where she dared some contact, yet somehow, this has been more affecting than anything else they’ve done today. It can’t be more appropriate either, seeing as it’s almost her turn.

[[ What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn]]

[[ Beyond the point of no return?]]

The tempo slows towards the end of the Phantom’s part and Annie watches as Mikasa backs away with an outstretched hand at the final two lines, symbolically giving the stage over to her. Symbolically beckoning her to step up into role. Annie sucks in a breath, belatedly agreeing with Mikasa that it really is a shame that they don’t have live orchestra. If they did, the conductor would be looking to her, waiting for her cue. But using a recorded piece as they are, she’s on a timer. And the pause is not nearly long enough.

[[You have brought me]]

[[To that moment where words run dry]]

[[To that moment where speech disappears into silence]]

[[Silence]]

It’s uncanny how accurate the lyrics are to how she feels. Or maybe, it’s just that Mikasa is really good at her role. Her partner hasn’t broken character yet, still staring at her with the same smouldering gaze from before, but right there at the corner of Mikasa’s lips, she catches just the slightest upwards curve the moment she started singing. It brings a smile to her own lips because somehow, despite not being keen at all when Mikasa first suggested this, despite feeling reluctant when Mikasa led her through the theatre to the stage, despite being convinced that she’d make a fool out of herself and hate this, she can’t help feeling now that this isn’t all that bad. Fun, even, although she’ll probably keep that to herself. Despite it all, she knows exactly why she came here, as surely as Christine knew, as surely as the Phantom, as surely as Mikasa. And well, this song of seduction is a duet, is it not? Christine need not be the only one getting seduced.

[[And now I am here with you, no second thoughts]]

[[I' ve decided, decided]]

Mind made up, Annie turns her body towards Mikasa, and remembering the other woman contemplating the hanging bridge just before they started the song, she gestures at it with her head. And then the reason she came here shows itself in full as Mikasa’s smile widens, the meaning of the gesture certainly not lost to her. How she wishes now she could see the entirety of Mikasa’s smile instead of just half. But wanting that only means one thing. She mirrors the smile then, grasping at the cloth of her skirt to give it a little sway as she takes deliberate, purposeful steps towards the bridge. Mikasa doesn’t miss a beat, eagerly matching her pace, even doing her own little flinging of her cloak, and it would have been funny if not for the fact that their gazes are still ever joined. And suddenly it doesn’t feel right that it’s only their gazes that are joined.

[[Past all thought of right or wrong]]

[[ One final question]]

[[ How long should we two wait before we're one?]]

Her voice crescendos at the impending climax of the song, and the sense of urgency finally grips her as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. She ascends two at a time, each step accompanied by a question from the song.

[[When will the blood begin to race?]]

[[The sleeping bud burst into bloom]]

[[When will the flames at last consume us?]]

She steps onto the bridge the same time Mikasa does, both continuing to move forward to meet in the middle. And all that’s left now is the final verse, the culmination, and this distance between them that dwindles with each taken step.

[[Past the point of no return]]

[[The final threshold]]

Their combined voices and the way the music soars almost majestically makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. Makes her heart swell. Mikasa stretches out a hand once they’re close enough, and Annie takes it, immediately finding herself pulled into Mikasa body, an action so abrupt it’s a wonder she manages to keep singing through her surprise. But then Mikasa’s other arm comes to wrap around her waist and nothing else matters save the fact that they’re joined fully now, not just with gazes, but with their whole body. Just like she wanted.

[[The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn]]

[[We’ve past the point of no return]]

Somehow, she pulls through to the end of the song but even as the music persists, going into that tension filled suspenseful note as everyone waits for what will happen next, as everyone watches the Phantom and Christine on the stage, Annie finds she no longer cares. The music feels so far away now, much too far away compared to the person right before her, so close she can see the colour of their eyes, so close she can feel their breaths on her face. That is all that is in her awareness right this moment. The warmth of being enveloped in their arms. Her adrenaline coursing through her veins from all the singing. Their very proximity. She swallows. Sucks in a breath, not even hearing the music transition until—

[[Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime]]

[[Lead me save me from my solitude]]

Mikasa sings the reprisal of All I Ask of You, her voice gentle and almost imploring. Her hand still held in Mikasa’s is lifted up to the unmasked side of Mikasa’s face, where Mikasa presses her cheek against the back of her hand.

[[Say you’ll want me with you here beside you]]

And then Mikasa steps back slightly, both hands grasping her shoulders, and the passion in Mikasa’s eyes, her voice, the grip on her shoulders, is near unbearable.

[[Anywhere you go let me go too]]

Annie caresses Mikasa’s cheek, raises her other hand to Mikasa’s neck.

[[Christine, that’s all I ask of—]]

She pushes back the mask as the music blares powerfully in the background, the familiar dramatic refrains of The Phantom of The Opera protesting the reveal of the hideous monster that lurks the halls of the opera. The tempo speeds up then as the horror of that face is quickly replaced by panic as the Phantom cuts down the ropes holding the chandelier, as the audience shrieks and scramble to get out of the huge ornament’s reach, as the Phantom flees with Christine to his underground lair in the midst of the chaos.

Neither she nor Mikasa are actually doing any of the sort, of course, they just stand there before each other in the middle of the bridge, Mikasa’s hands on her shoulders, hers on Mikasa’s face. Because there is no monster under this mask. There’s that scar underneath her right eye that she doesn’t know how Mikasa got but beyond that, or rather, in spite of that, the face she holds in her hands is still one of the most beautiful she’s ever laid eyes upon. And to think that this beautiful creature is looking at her with so much...so much love, it stuns her speechless, uncertain if this love is meant for Christine, or meant for her.

She searches Mikasa’s eyes, traces the line of her jaw. Mikasa smiles, and then her uncertainty is all but forgotten when lips meet lips. Her breath stutters at the feel of Mikasa, soft and sure and so, so wanting that it springs her into action. Annie presses closer, hands moving down to wrap behind Mikasa’s neck as she feels Mikasa doing the same, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other wrapping around her shoulder and suddenly she doesn’t know how it took them so long to get to this point. Not long at all frankly, seeing as it’s only their third date, but long as in how much time they spent singing around each other instead of doing this. When they could have been doing this.

Evidently, Mikasa feels the same for they part just enough to replenish spent air before Mikasa kisses her again, deeper this time, slower, and it leaves her almost dizzy with need. But just as she feels a hint of tongue and teeth, just as her insides flip at the prospect of more, just as she’s about to reciprocate, Mikasa pulls away entirely that she cannot help her groan that spills forth. That, and her breathlessness. Mikasa is equally breathless, but she’s also smiling. A little smugly too, if Annie had to say.

“Well,” Mikasa begins, moving her hands to take hold of Annie’s, before her eyes flick to Annie’s lips and she smiles wider. “That was a success.”

This goof. Annie lets out a short laugh before inhaling deeply to regain her composure. “You didn’t have to do all this just to kiss me, you know.”

“I know,” Mikasa replies easily, her smile still as wide. “But if I did all of this and didn’t get to kiss you, that would have been a disappointing failure.”

Annie laughs again, unsure whether she wants to kiss Mikasa again or smack her silly. She goes with the former, standing on tiptoes to give Mikasa a quick peck. Because the kiss was nice. And much too short. “You’re also aware then, that the Phantom and Christine do not end up together?”

Mikasa’s surprise at the peck lasts only a moment before that smug grin returns, only now it’s twice as smug as before, making Annie wish she’d smacked her instead. “I don’t know about that,” Mikasa says, humming a little. “Christine seems incredibly enamoured with the Phantom right now, unscripted kisses and all.”

She’ll have to give Mikasa that one. So she hums along, nodding her head. “True. This is an alternative Phantom storyline I would love to watch. Just imagine how it would go.”

“Indeed,” Mikasa agrees. “Shame that that version exists only with us. Although,” and here Mikasa releases her hands to reach inside her cloak from which she produces a small rectangular envelope, “if you don’t mind just the original...”

Annie takes the offered envelope, opening it up to see an all black paper with the cracked white words of The Phantom of The Opera printed on it. She pulls it out, clearly recognizing what it is, but there is no date, or time, or seat number on it. It was completely blank on details save a section at the bottom where Mikasa’s name is written.

“A ticket?”

“A special ticket,” Mikasa replies. “All the cast members have these, to give to whomever they please. It entitles you to a show on any date, any time, and any seat you want. You’ll have to call in a reservation for a good seat though, otherwise if you walk-in it’ll be whichever is available.”

That explains the oddity. “You want me to come watch you?”

Mikasa looks down at that, her expression actually turning shy. “It would make me happy.”

It seems entirely out of place to be shy at this point, after all the masquerading in costumes and singing that they’ve done, but then again, Mikasa is a stage actor. All of this, the theatricality, the performance, it’s all normal for Mikasa. But maybe that’s what Annie doesn’t get. To have the confidence to stand on stage before an audience, to sing and dance and act in front of a hall full of people, yet here, showing shyness just in simply asking her to come see her? Annie remembers then, when Mikasa first asked her out. How she fumbled through that too. The contrast is jarring. And adorable.

Annie smiles and pockets the ticket. She can’t help wanting to tease just a little though. “Even though you’re just a ballerina?”

Mikasa’s eyes are on her action, and when the ticket is securely in her pocket she grins. “Well, legends say there is a second phantom in this production. Have you heard? Of the Phantom Mika?”

This goof. Annie raises an eyebrow. “Really? Phantom Mika?”

“Yes. They say that she looks just like the Phantom. Same mask, same cloak, and that if you look closely, you may spot her skulking around the edges of the stage, or in the audience seats, or dancing the masquerade.”

“You wouldn’t. Won’t that ruin the show?”

“Wouldn’t I?” Mikasa doesn’t let up her grin, and at this point Annie can’t even tell if Mikasa is kidding or not anymore. “You’ll just have to come watch and find out.”

It’s undeniable. She’s going out with a goof. An incredibly beautiful goof who can be incredibly charming and incredibly seductive when she wants to be, but a goof nonetheless. Not that she minds, particularly. Not when Mikasa looks at her the way she does. Smiles at her the way she does. Kisses her the way she does. So she nods, suddenly feeling a little bit shy herself. “Okay. I will.”

Mikasa let her grin turn into a genuine smile, leaning in to kiss Annie again. And Annie definitely doesn’t mind that.

Chapter Text

Annie doesn’t get the chance to attend the show until the final week. The show runs four times a week for four weeks, but through some bad luck, it always coincides with her working days. The only opening is on the third show of the fourth week and the second show of the third week, which is today but Annie has made other plans and she thinks that’s fine because it isn’t like Mikasa is playing a lead role. Which is her exact reasoning for not taking a day off of work for this. As long as she does attend, that’s okay, isn’t it? Surely Mikasa wouldn’t think badly of her for only showing up on the second to last show? She couldn’t know and they hadn’t seen each other or spoken much besides the occasional texting since the shows started. Mikasa warned her that she’d be busy, and clearly Mikasa wasn’t kidding. So Annie decides it’s fine. She’ll go see Mikasa on the fourth week.

But at six o’clock, while waiting at the meeting point, she receives a text from Mina to cancel their dinner plans. Apparently she’s got a splitting headache since morning; medication didn’t help, so she has gone to the hospital instead. Mina ends the text with an apology, and Annie quickly texts back that it’s okay, they can meet again some other time, and for Mina to take care of herself. Suddenly free, Annie wonders what she should do, so she looks at the poster of The Phantom of the Opera which she just happened to be standing next to. Yes, it was absolutely a coincidence. She absolutely didn’t stand next to it on purpose so that maybe she could bring it up when Mina showed up, perhaps asking if she knew of it, if she’s seen it, if she’s planning to see it, and maybe even mentioning about a certain beautiful ballerina. But well, that isn’t going to happen now.

She looks at her watch, and it shows six ten. The show starts at seven. She could make it if she goes now, except…that she has left the ticket at home. She curses, remembering the envelope on her bedside table. It is times like these that she wishes she has her own car. Looking at her watch again, seeing another minute go by, she quickly flags down a cab. The traffic doesn’t help, and by the time she reaches the theatre after grabbing the ticket from home, it is a few minutes past seven. The man who greets her at the entrance tells her that curtains opened just moments ago, and it’s a full house. Annie sighs for the wasted effort and is about to leave, but then the man spots the envelope she's carrying.

“Is that an invitational ticket?” he asks, and when Annie affirms, he holds out his hand. “May I?”

Annie hands him the ticket and he takes one look at it before his eyes widen and he smiles at her. “I believe I can help you miss. Do you mind sharing?”

*

The man explains to her while ushering her through the internal corridors to the box seats. Box seats! Annie isn’t sure how she managed to miss that the theatre had box seats when Mikasa gave her the impromptu tour. She isn’t sure how she didn’t see them from the stage! Whatever the case, she is currently being led to a box seat herself. Invitational tickets had priority box seat seating, apparently, but since she’s a walk-in, is late, and it is a full house anyway, that option shouldn’t have been possible. Yet, obviously something on her ticket prompted this whole thing. So she tells him that she’s fine with sharing as long as the other party is fine as well.

He stops in front of a pair of doors and she notices with amusement that it is Box 5. She looks at him. “Best seats?”

He grins in return. “The very best.”

Annie frowns. She asked it as a joke, but he appears sincere about it and she genuinely doesn’t understand why she’s getting such a good seat. However before she could question him, he knocks on the doors, entering even before he gets a reply. Annie watches him bend over and speak to another man from the gap of the door. The seated man glances her way, giving her view of his unusually thick eyebrows, before he nods at the first man. He gets up from his seat and opens the door wider for her.

“Do come in, miss,” he smiles at her while the first man takes his leave, but not before returning her punched ticket and uttering a quick ‘enjoy the show’ to her. “My name is Erwin Smith, and that there—” he points at another man with black hair seated in the box, “—is Levi. We’re the directors of the SC Company so we shouldn’t even be occupying the audience seats in the first place, so do come in and have a seat. You’re our honoured guest, after all.”

Annie enters into the box, muttering her thanks to Erwin. She’s still not too sure what to make of the turn of events, but takes a seat once she realizes that the auction scene has ended and the overture is well under way. Since she’s here already, she might as well enjoy the show, just like the first man said. A quick look Erwin’s way shows that the two men have their attentions back to the stage. More at ease, Annie settles into her seat and watches the show.

She breezes through the parts of Hannibal and Think of Me, her only observations being that Raoul doesn’t look like a horse and Christine, or rather, the person playing Christine, Krista Lenz, is tiny. It’s hard to tell from where she’s seating, but she’s almost sure Krista is tinier than her. She likes tiny people. It’s tiring to always have to look up at people, what more with Mikasa having seven inches on her. She’s not a heels person, and she’s glad Mikasa isn’t either, or that seven could quickly become ten, and then that would be ridiculous.

With Mikasa on her mind, she concentrates on the stage again, remembering then what Mikasa said about spotting the Phantom Mika. Tentatively, she gives a cursory glance to the audience seats below, and to the sides of the stage, but as expected there is nothing out of the ordinary. And then Annie scoffs at herself for even taking Mikasa seriously about this because there’s simply no way Mikasa would really do that or that she even could. Mikasa couldn’t even know that Annie is there in the audience in the first place, which is the only reason she assumes Mikasa would even try it. So surely she wouldn’t be pulling stunts like that?

But suddenly, there she is. Annie could not believe her eyes, but she sees her. There on the stage, appearing in the mirror is the Phantom Mika, except it is the actual Phantom, singing to Christine, but at the same time it’s Mikasa. Annie knows because she’s seen Mikasa in that exact same cloak and exact same mask and heard that exact same voice singing to her. Annie blinks, confused. So Mikasa lied to her after all? No wait, Mikasa is the understudy for the role. Maybe something came up and Mikasa had to take over. But why didn’t Mikasa tell her? She checks her phone to make sure she hasn’t missed any messages, and she hasn’t.

Annie frowns and her distress must have been noticed for she feels a light tap on her shoulder and it’s the man with the unusually thick eyebrows. Erwin Smith.

“Forgive me for intruding, I can’t help but notice you seem a little confused, miss..”

Annie belatedly realizes she never gave him her name even though he has his as well as the name of his partner. “Leonhart.”

Erwin smiles. “Miss Leonhart. I believe you might have missed the announcement before the show. The actor playing the Phantom, Miss Ymir, has unfortunately hurt her ankle so her understudy has taken over for today. It happened right before the show so it was quite a last minute switch and I do apologize if you’re here to see her.”

Ah, that explains a lot. He’s looking at the ticket she is still clutching in her hand. Perhaps, seeing her confusion, he had assumed that her ticket had been an invitation from Ymir. She shakes her head. “No, I didn’t know about this, but it’s fine.” She holds up her ticket to him, sees the way his eyes widen, the way he smiles. It’s just like the man at the entrance. And this time she knows exactly why.

“Well, isn’t it your lucky day, Miss Leonhart?”

She smiles as well, a small one. “Yes.” The name at the bottom corner of her ticket is not Ymir after all. It’s Mikasa Ackerman. The understudy. And for today, the Phantom. “Yes it is.”

The starting notes of The Phantom of the Opera blares through the theatre.

*

At the curtain call, as the actors make their final bow, Annie fishes out her phone to text Mikasa. Now is as good a time as any to actually tell Mikasa that she’s here. Granted, she could have during the intermission as well, but she doubts Mikasa would have had the time to be checking messages. And in a way, she had wanted to see Mikasa in her element, without any possible influence of her presence. And now she has. Now she’s been thoroughly awed and she isn’t about to go home without seeing the person she came to see. She’s halfway typing the message when she senses movement about her and she turns her head just in time to see Erwin and Levi get up. Levi heads straight for the door, and she expects no less from someone who never bothered to acknowledge her since she appeared, but Erwin, ever the gentleman, comes over to her side.

“Did you enjoy the show, Miss Leonhart?”

How could she not? She nods and since he has been nothing but courteous to her, she decides to repay in kind. “Yes. It was amazing. Thank you for allowing me this seat.”

He bends his head in a slight bow. “It was my pleasure.” He straightens with a smile, glancing at the phone in her hand. “Shall I inform Miss Ackerman of your presence?”

She looks down at her phone, message still halfway typed, and quickly shakes her head. “No, that’s not necessary.”

“You’re sure?” Erwin asks. “It gets pretty hectic after shows and she might not notice your text. It’d be terrible if she kept you waiting, or made other plans.”

Annie hesitates. Erwin hit a nail to the head there. If it’s just waiting, she’s quite certain she wouldn’t mind, but if like Erwin says, Mikasa misses her text and makes plans with her co-workers, that would be awkward. She has no doubt in mind that Mikasa will cancel with them and Annie wouldn’t feel bad in the slightest, but she wonders what kind of impression that will make. Didn’t Mikasa say she has a brother here? She looks back at Erwin.

“Alright, please let her know,” she says, hurriedly typing the other half of the text and sending the message.

“Very well. And where shall I have her to meet you?”

*

In hindsight, setting the entrance as the meeting point is probably a bad idea, after all it was a full house, so even though it is now twenty minutes after the show ended, there are still people trickling out of the theatre. She even waited ten minutes after Erwin left for the crowds to clear out before leaving her seat but it still took her an additional ten minutes to arrive at the entrance. She briefly considers texting Mikasa to change the location, but this really isn’t her turf and she can’t be sure the other places she has in mind will accommodate her need for privacy.

Deciding to just wait, Annie stashes away her phone and takes position towards the side of the entrance. It takes another five minutes for Mikasa to show up but the moment she does, Annie suddenly realizes that there is no need for a different location after all. The moment Mikasa steps into her personal space she knows they’ve just created their own privacy bubble.

“Annie.” Mikasa’s voice is soft but her smile is wide.

Annie tries to smile as well but stops short when she takes Mikasa in, because there’s something very different about seeing Mikasa on the stage in the suit and cloak and thinking she’s dashing and seeing Mikasa right before her, still in her dress pants and shirt and vest from her final scene, sans mask and face make-up, and thinking she’s dashing. Clearly she’s not the only one who thinks so, judging by the little points and whispers that Mikasa is getting from the exiting crowd. Some even looked like they want to approach, but there’s the privacy bubble.

She swallows, suddenly realizing she hasn’t said anything. “Mikasa.”

Mikasa, who seems aware of the effect she has on Annie and everyone else in the vicinity, merely smiles wider. “Annie.”

And then Annie snorts, which quickly turns into a laugh, unsure how else to process this strange awkwardness and Mikasa’s insistence on perpetuating it. Mikasa joins her and they laugh for a bit. When they look at each other again, the awkwardness is gone and Annie speaks first.

“You’re so silly.”

“But you love it,” Mikasa shoots back and Annie cannot contest that so she doesn’t. She shrugs and leans her shoulder on the wall. Mikasa mirrors her. “You should have told me you were coming.”

“My dinner plans got unexpectedly cancelled,” Annie informs. “I wasn't sure if I could make it so I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I was in. Almost didn’t get in, but,” Annie takes out her ticket, “your name proved quite powerful, Miss Phantom of the day. Even got me the best box seat courtesy of your boss.”

Mikasa looks away, almost shyly. “It was an emergency switch. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

“So I’ve heard,” Annie replies. There’s Mikasa being shy again. It makes her heart flutter. That, and those wide smiles. Oh, Mikasa needs to stop doing those. “And here I was, looking for the Phantom Mika…”

Mikasa raises her brows, as though she’s surprised that Annie remembers. But then she smiles. “And you did see her. She was so nervous coming onto the stage but the moment she did she felt strength, and do you know why?”

Annie can already tell the answer would be something cheesy, but she plays along and shakes her head. “Why?”

“Because her angel was watching over her from the audience.”

Annie resists rolling her eyes. “You’re the angel of music.”

“Didn’t they inspire each other?”

“Yes, perhaps. Let’s leave it at that,” Annie says and then she reaches out to smooth at Mikasa’s vest. “You were great. As the Phantom. I mean, I knew that already, but you really charmed everyone today. Raoul looked happiest when you put the noose around his neck.”

Mikasa laughs, sporting a none-too surprised glint in her eyes. “That’s an off-stage thing.”

“He has a thing for you then? Jean Kirstein?”

Again, Mikasa looks none-too surprised that Annie correctly guesses it. “Unfortunately unrequited. I like women. Particularly the one standing right before me.”

Mikasa reaches up to brush some of Annie’s hair back as she’s saying that last bit and Annie feels the warmth creep onto her cheeks. There’s nothing there, but Annie clears her throat anyway, briefly looking down.

“You’re sly.” And just so Mikasa doesn’t get the satisfaction of shooting another smart comeback Annie quickly stares her down and adds, “But I like it.”

Mikasa says nothing in return but it is evident from her tiny grin that she’s quite pleased by Annie’s assertion. She quietly fiddles with the ends of Annie’s hair in between her thumb and forefinger, not breaking their eye contact. Annie feels them falling into a comfortable silence and she lets it happen, never having disliked the stillness. It’s probably going to happen a lot more from now on anyway. While she could socialize should it be required, as it sometimes is, she is by nature, a quiet type. She gets the sense that Mikasa is much the same, excluding all the initiative in asking her out on dates, of course. But she suspects that’s very much part of the required socialization.

It pleases her greatly how Mikasa seems in tune with her in a way that no one else she’s been with is, but she’s not about to inflate Mikasa’s non-existent ego.

Suddenly Mikasa’s fingers brush against her jaw, and instantly Annie knows where this is going. It even surprises her that it has taken so long to come to this point because she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it since Mikasa said her name. No, it was before that. It was when she stepped out of the entrance or maybe it was when she saw Mikasa on the stage or maybe it was their third date, when she first felt those lips against hers. She doesn’t know since when, but she’s wanted this and when Mikasa straightens, Annie does the same, already tilting her head up, waiting for the moment where Mikasa comes in closer, bending down and then—

“Mikasa!”

Mikasa abruptly jerks back, turning to the voice. Annie scowls, eyeing the large group that has just exited the theatre, her eyes set particularly on the dark haired male who had called out to Mikasa. Obviously, their privacy bubble doesn’t seem to work on acquaintances.

“There you are,” he continues. “We’re going over to The Unicorn. Sure you’re not coming?”

The Unicorn. Annie vaguely recognizes the name to be that of a nearby bar. More people exit the theatre and when she sees Raoul, or Jean Kirstein, and Christine, or Krista Lenz, she concludes they must be Mikasa’s co-workers. They gather around the dark haired male, a bowl cut blond whom she doesn’t recognize linking arms with him. Krista Lenz breaks away from the group however, and through the distance Annie think she catches mentions of ‘Ymir’ before the tiny woman waves goodbye and trots off. But with the exception of her, everyone else waits, looking almost expectantly at Mikasa. So plans were indeed made, but it seems Mikasa has gotten her text and have made necessary arrangements. And on cue, Mikasa starts to shake her head in refusal.

“Yeah, sorry but I—”

She’s cut off when a body slams into hers suddenly.

“Mikasa!!”

Annie flinches and steps back slightly at the intrusion of their privacy bubble. She watches, wide-eyed, as a girl with long brunette hair tied back in a ponytail envelopes Mikasa in a crushing side hug. At the very least, Mikasa too looks surprised as she stiffly returns the hug, her eyes sending a silent apology to Annie.

“Sasha.” Mikasa tries to push the girl named ‘Sasha’ away, who, on second look, Annie realizes is the one who played Carlotta.

Sasha pulls away just enough to look at Mikasa’s face. “You were amazing tonight! We’re totally celebrating, you must come!”

Again Mikasa shakes her head. “No really, I—”

And again, Sasha cuts her off. “Look at you, still in your costume. How dashing you are!”

Sasha runs her hands up and down Mikasa’s front and Annie frowns, unsure whether to put a stop to it or not. This Sasha is obviously Mikasa’s friend who has probably known Mikasa far longer than she has and maybe this is how they always interact so would it be presumptuous for her to jump in between them?

Oblivious to Annie’s discomfort, Sasha goes on. “Oh how I wish I auditioned for Christine now.” And then Sasha’s rubbing hands moves up to Mikasa neck and she smiles widely before unexpectedly leaning in. “Here let me give you a kiss.”

Annie chokes.

“Sasha!”

Thankfully Mikasa’s reaction is quick, and before their lips could meet, Mikasa has slipped a hand in between, her fingers now pushing against Sasha’s lips. Mikasa takes a deep breath, looking pointedly at the confused Sasha.

“Sasha,” Mikasa says deliberately, and then she rolls her eyes to gesture at Annie. “Meet Annie.” And then Mikasa looks at Annie, repeating the process in reverse. “Annie, this is Sasha.”

Sasha glances at Annie, and then back to Mikasa, and then Annie, and then back to Mikasa again. And then she appears to finally get it as her eyes widen and her mouth, freed from Mikasa’s fingers, forms an ‘O’ shape. She hastily half releases Mikasa to offer an awkward apologetic smile at Annie.

“Um…I’m sorry?” Sasha laughs nervously. “Mikasa doesn’t tell us anything,” she explains and then glares at Mikasa as though everything was her fault.

When Mikasa rolls her eyes somehow Sasha relaxes and lets go of Mikasa completely, straightening as she faces Annie and extends her arm. “I’m Sasha, Mikasa’s ex.” Annie raises an eyebrow, not really knowing what to make of that information. “Oh no, don’t worry, we’ve been exes for months and I’m now with that bald shorty over there,” Sasha randomly points towards the group, “So yeah…I’m just really touchy. Mikasa’s nice to touch. Wait, no. I mean, that just now, was all me. I get carried away all the time. So just, don’t get angry at Mikasa or anything.”

Sasha looks ready to bury her face in her hands from sheer embarrassment yet she held still, arm still extended to Annie. Mikasa remains quiet but sends a pleading look Annie’s way, with a promise of explanation later on. Annie sighs, more frustrated at the interruption rather than any supposed misunderstanding, but at the moment it’s hard not to pity the girl, so she decides to end the misery.

Annie shakes Sasha’s hand only briefly. “Annie. And I’m not angry, but thanks for clearing that up.”

Sasha’s expression lights up in relief and she smiles at Annie for the longest moment. That is, until Mikasa nudges her shoulder, glaring at her pointedly. This time Sasha comprehends.

“Oh right,” she laughs awkwardly, backing up. “I guess I’ll just leave you two to it,” she says as she turns to Mikasa again. “And I’ll just let everyone know you’re not coming.”

Mikasa nods once. “Thank you.”

Sasha smiles and then looks at Annie, seemingly in two minds about whether or not to say anything to her, but as though deciding she’s had enough embarrassment for one day, she just turns and heads back to the group. The both of them watch her go and Mikasa waves at the departing group.

When Mikasa looks back at Annie, she is sporting a strained smile, like she doesn’t know what to say first. She takes a deep breath, perhaps in preparation, and in that moment Annie decides to cut in and defuse the tension. She really isn’t angry, and at the moment she’s more concerned that someone else is going to interrupt them and seeing that they’re still in front of the theatre, and Mikasa works there, and its post-performance night, that possibility is highly likely.

“She’s quite talented, your ex.”

Mikasa, still in mid of taking in a deep breath, deflates instantly. “What?”

Annie smirks. “She’s Carlotta isn’t she? I swear I saw her eating an apple in between her lines in Don Juan Triumphant.”

Mikasa blinks, staring at Annie like she can’t believe what Annie just said, but when all Annie does is continue smirking, the ends of Mikasa’s lips twitches upwards and she snorts. Shaking her head slightly, Mikasa brings her hand up to cover her face as she chuckles. Annie waits for Mikasa to regain herself, keeping the smirk on her face.

“You’re amazing,” Mikasa finally says.

Annie’s smirk turns wicked. “I know. That’s why you like me.” Mikasa’s eyes widen slightly, maybe at the boldness of the statement, but Annie doesn’t allow her to linger with it, somehow feeling that if she does, a certain continuation of something may happen and it isn’t that she’s opposed to that, but she’d rather be sure they wouldn’t be interrupted again. She steps close and bumps against Mikasa. “And now, I can’t help the bad feeling that someone else you know is going to want to come say hello, so let’s take this somewhere else. How does supper sound?”

Mikasa smiles. “Supper sounds great.” And then she looks down at her still costumed self. “Give me ten minutes.”

“Sure.” Annie shrugs. She’s already waited over twenty minutes the first time. What’s another ten? “I’ll be right here.”

Mikasa makes to turn, to head back to the entrance, but she takes one step before she stops and looks at Annie contemplatively. Annie counts five seconds in her head, and when Mikasa still hasn’t moved or said anything, Annie scrunches up her eyebrows. However she doesn’t get the chance to ask what’s wrong for suddenly, swiftly, Mikasa is before her again and then she doesn’t need to ask. She tilts her head up, Mikasa bends down. And they meet halfway.

Annie breathes when she feels Mikasa’s lips touch hers and it is everything and more than what she remembers it to be. She exhales slowly, pushing back against Mikasa and Mikasa obliges, her hand coming up to cradle Annie’s neck as she deepens the kiss. Annie takes it further, hooking her fingers into Mikasa’s belt loops and pulling her hips in as Mikasa grunts when their lower bodies meet. The sound does something to her and when she feels Mikasa opening her mouth, when she feels the hint of Mikasa’s teeth, Annie presses in, reciprocating like she’s been wanting to reciprocate since their second kiss. Mikasa had walked her home after the theatre, and along the way they had shared even more kisses. But all brief. All chaste. All of which had done nothing to ease her longing for the tongue and teeth she felt while on the bridge. Not that she’s ever going to admit that.

So Annie presses in this opportunity, parting her lips against Mikasa’s and making that contact with Mikasa’s tongue. Someone moans, maybe both of them, and the sound of it, the feel of it, the way Mikasa abruptly flips it around and pushes her tongue into her mouth instead makes her insides churn so much she wants nothing more than to just slam Mikasa against the wall and have all of her right there, potential audience be damned. And when Mikasa’s tongue goes as far as tracing the roof of her mouth and she feels the shivers it elicits in her toes, Annie considers seriously doing so. She probably would have too, her hands already curled into fists around Mikasa’s belt loops ready to push Mikasa against the wall, if not for Mikasa swiftly, suddenly, and all at once pulling away. Annie blinks rapidly, a little dazed at the sudden loss of Mikasa’s mouth on hers. She looks up at Mikasa questioningly, but she gets only a smug smile in return before Mikasa’s hands reaches down to gently remove the fingers on her belt loops. Mikasa then has the gall to lift them up to plant light kisses on both her hands while still smiling smugly at her. She has the gall to lick her lips.

“Ten minutes.”

Annie glares at Mikasa, quite sure the other did this on purpose because ten minutes sounds entirely too long now. Mikasa promptly disappears into the theatre then before Annie has a chance to get any protest out of her mouth leaving her with nothing else but deep breaths to calm herself. It takes ten breaths before it starts to work, before she finally reigns in her rapid heartbeat, and then Annie snickers to herself as she leans against the wall. It’s only their fourth date, and their first kiss with tongue, and already she’s feeling like she wants to ravage Mikasa. Against the wall right in the open no less. She sighs. At the rate this is going, she wouldn’t be too surprised if they end up at either of their places later tonight. Maybe she even wants it to happen.

Oh what is she thinking? Annie clicks her tongue in a mix of mirth and disbelief. Doing so only somehow enhances the lingering sensation of Mikasa’s lips on hers, which does nothing to help her calm. Is she not going too fast? Are they not going too fast? Annie spends a moment to think about it and then quickly decides that no, they aren’t. If she based it completely on the progression of events; first date dinner, second date holding hands, third date kiss, it seems absolutely natural that should fall into bed with each other on the fourth date.

Finding herself satisfied with that logic, Annie decides that’s that, rapping her fingers against the wall in anticipation as she waits for Mikasa. In exactly ten minutes, Mikasa reappears, and to Annie’s delight, she is no less dashing in her normal clothes and signature scarf. One dragged out kiss later, just to finish what Mikasa cut short, they finally make their way to supper. They are halfway to their destination, a small but delicious Asian fusion restaurant that Annie frequents, when Annie decides to share her earlier thoughts with Mikasa.

“We’re going to end up in someone’s bed by the end of the night, aren’t we?”

“If I have your consent, very likely.” Mikasa doesn’t miss a beat, which tells Annie she isn’t the only thinking of this. Mikasa glances her way, smiling knowingly.

Annie returns it with her own. “You do. Whose bed?”

Mikasa contemplates this a while. “Mine.”

“Why?”

“Well, I have a really good sound system installed in my room,” Mikasa starts, and then one hand, the one not holding on to one of Annie’s, slips into her pocket in search of something, oblivious to the frown that immediately form on Annie’s face. Because what does a sound system have to do with anything?

“—and,” Mikasa continues, fishing out her phone from her pocket, “we should have the right ambience.”

Annie stares at the phone, still not quite getting it, but as Mikasa scrolls through, pointedly avoiding her eyes, it suddenly hits her. “Please tell me you don’t have a sex playlist.”

Mikasa’s only reaction is to reach up and pull her scarf over her nose and mouth. Annie hears some noise at the back of Mikasa’s throat and when Mikasa looks at her, she hears her muffled voice through the scarf.

“Is that bad?”

Annie can’t help the laugh that bubbles up, once again finding Mikasa’s embarrassment and face hiding somewhat adorable. Everyone has their quirks after all. What should she have expected from someone who sang to her, with her, songs of love and seduction? Who, while singing to her, masquerades around in a mask pretending to be a mysterious phantom haunting a fictional opera? She squeezes the hand in her grasp gently, reassuringly.

“Not at all. So what will it be? All I Ask of You?”

She only indicates that song because they’re on a Phantom roll and that song is perhaps the most romantic song of all the Phantom songs but when Mikasa frowns slightly she knows she’s wrong. Mikasa doesn’t stop there, bringing up her hand to bump Annie’s head lightly before pulling her scarf down.

“Now you’re being silly. Why should we invite Raoul into bed with us?” Mikasa doesn’t wait for a reply and goes on anyway, grinning at Annie rubbing her head. “It doesn’t have any Phantom songs at all, but since you mentioned it, if it has to be a Phantom song, then it definitely has to be this.” She seems to find what she’s looking for in her playlist and presses the play button. The Phantom of the Opera starts to play before Mikasa adds, “Or at least the Overture.”

Annie stops walking, looking very seriously at Mikasa’s grinning face as the music continues to play. She understands that All I Ask of You had been rejected because it’s a Christine and Raoul song but it is, if nothing else, romantic. The Phantom of the Opera, while being a Phantom and Christine song, and a magnificent one at that, has rock overtones and a heavy beat that Annie can’t help finding terribly unsexy. And while the Overture isn’t like that, it does sound much too grandeur. She holds no illusion that their love making is going to be anywhere near grandeur. Not the first time anyway. All I Ask of You seems more appropriate, at least in its message.

Mikasa stops walking too, looking questioningly at Annie, although Annie thinks that Mikasa is well aware what is wrong. Annie asks anyway. “Why this song?”

That’s when Mikasa smirks knowingly, readily, like she was waiting for Annie to ask that question, as she steps in closer and meets her eyes. She answers in a low voice much like her Phantom voice. “Because, my angel, I’ll have you sing for me.”

Annie shivers, goosebumps breaking out along her neck. She shivers at the intensity of Mikasa’s stare, at the tremor of her voice, at the innuendo in her words. And then she smirks back. Two can play the game. “That song is at most, four and a half minutes. I’d be very impressed if you can make me ‘sing’ in that time frame.”

Mikasa is undeterred and even smirks wider. “That, Annie,” she says, holding up her phone for Annie to see as her thumb points to a button on the left corner; two arrows forming a circle. “is what the repeat function is for. I’ll have you sing as many times as I want you to.”

Mikasa’s confidence is palpable and Annie doesn’t retort. She doesn’t want to. There’s a promise in Mikasa’s words, and right now she’s more interested in that than anything else. Besides, if Mikasa truly delivers on her words, ultimately, it’s not a bad thing at all. Something must have shown on her face then, something that Mikasa sees and understands for she lowers her phone, but doesn’t stop the song, and tugs at her hand.

“Shall we?”

Annie nods. “Lead the way. But supper first.”

“Of course.” Mikasa smiles as she starts to walk again. “We’ll need the energy.”

Annie laughs. “Of course.”

They walk along, the music accompanying them as they go. Annie listens to which part is it at, and on a whim, which she would later attribute to Mikasa’s bad influence, she starts to sing.

[[Those who have seen your face]]

[[Draw back in fear]]

[[I am the mask you wear]]

Mikasa looks at Annie, surprised, but as Annie keeps singing, she quickly regains herself and joins in at her part.

[[It’s me they hear]]

Annie smiles. Mikasa does the same. Switching the grip of their hands to intertwine fingers, they continue to sing, letting their voices blend with the music and with each other’s.

[[My/Your spirit and your/my voice]]

[[In one combined]]

[[The Phantom of the Opera is there]]

[[Inside your/my mind]]