cfiadw [ch. 2] [1/2]

 "catching fire in a devil's whisper" revision commentary
chapter two, part one

currently listening to: "intro: boy meets evil" - bts
fic word count: 110,611

Intro: Boy Meets Evil is the second song in cfiadw's main playlist and one of my favorite songs ever (let's not talk about the internalized homophobia in the lyrics lmao; that's a dreamwidth for another day).  Once again, I think it suits this AU so well.  Especially this chapter because... well.... :)

The chapter title, "the devil's hand", comes from this song as well ["This love is another name for the devil / Don't hold their hand"]!

Early on, this chapter was difficult to adapt.  For those who know the musical/movie, it starts out with the "Think of Me" sequence, in which Christine makes her debut at the opera house's gala and Raoul realizes that he knows her from their childhood.  Then it follows the "Angel of Music/Little Lotte/The Mirror" parts (some of my favorite songs in the entire musical btw), which are very dialogue heavy, so to speak... idk I just found it hard to rewrite.  I think it was the ending scene, specifically; when Jeonghan realizes his Angel of Music is the Phantom of the Opera and that the Phantom is a Real Live Man.... without the rousing score I feel like it doesn't hit the same lmao.  But more on that later!

[When Seungcheol arrived that night, the opera house was already bustling with attendees, dressed in their best.  They poured out of carriages, the finest wealth Paris had to offer, and he squeezed between bodies to make his way to the theater.  He was here alone, as his brother, sister, and parents didn’t care much for the arts, but that suited him just fine; he had a box all to himself, with a perfect view of the stage, so he could just sit back and enjoy the show.  Their loss, really; he never understood why they refused to support the arts.  Perhaps Seungcheol was biased but... he'd always loved the opera.  Loved listening to the beautiful orchestral pieces written, the exquisite notes echoing throughout the theater.  He would admit, though, that his opinion of the opera was enhanced with memories.  Sitting next to a little blond boy in this very same box more than ten years ago, after dragging their families here.  Watching his companion's sweet face rather than the performers, because witnessing the things Yoon Jeonghan loved most in the world was always Seungcheol's favorite pastime.]

bitch disGUSting..... no pls Seungcheol is so so so so SO in love with Jeonghan already, still, always.... hhh.  Just thinking about ten year old them, before Jeonghan's parents got sick, attending the opera.  The little stars in Jeonghan's eyes because he's always wanted this, always wanted to be a singer and a performer.  Owie.

[Jeonghan was the love of his life, at ten years old - but it hadn't been enough to keep him where Seungcheol wouldn't lose him.]

We're like 100 words into chapter two.... bro.... when i say that this is my favorite Jeongcheol, I Mean It.  The yearning, the purity in their love..........

[He would have loved being here, Seungcheol knew.  Sitting beside him in the box their family shared years ago, watching the opera playing out before their eyes.  Losing himself in music, in the story, in the thought of performing.  If he wasn't down there himself, getting ready to take the stage.  He'd spent some time dancing here, before his parents passed, Seungcheol remembered.  Perhaps it wouldn't be so mad to think that he was still here, that he'd been taken in.  But a part of Seungcheol didn't want him to be here, as awful as it sounded; to know that Jeonghan had been here for ten years, so close that Seungcheol had no idea?]

No but that thought came to me while rereading this; I think a part of Seungcheol would be so mad when he finds out that Jeonghan has been in Paris all along.  Not mad at him, of course not, but mad at the forces that be.  The forces that kept them apart.  All that time lost, when they could've been together...... maybe then Jeonghan wouldn't have needed to find solace in Mingyu's "angelic" arms..... :)))))

[Heaving another sigh, he decided to push Jeonghan from his mind as best as he could; it wouldn't do him any good, and tonight was supposed to be happy.  But as excited as he was for this performance, for this opening night, he couldn’t help the worry that tugged at him.  He was spending his family’s money on this - his first independent venture, after months of his older siblings insisting he wasn't ready - God, and if anything went wrong… even the smallest thing...

Seungcheol shifted in his seat.  Nothing was going to go wrong.

(Of course, his mind chose that moment to remind him of everything that had gone wrong here in the last few years, most of it contained to the previous six months.  Accidents, ghosts, injured dancers, backdrops falling on lead tenors - said lead tenors walking out hours before opening night on one of the most intense, technically difficult shows the opera troupe had ever undertaken - )]

Not to quote another of my favorite musicals but "just you wait".

[He looked at the man, at the intricately designed mask on his face.  It covered only one side, leaving Seungcheol to wonder if he was so far removed from people his own age that he had no idea what passed for fashion anymore.  Except that, as far as he could tell, no one else had a mask like that.  And the man did seem young, even from a distance.  Perhaps a little older than Seungcheol himself.  His suit was nice enough, dark hair slicked back off his forehead, and that mask.  He had to be rich, but Seungcheol didn’t recognize him.  Perhaps he was new money, didn't quite know what to do with it -]

Seungcheol you're so goddamn rich - thinking this guy is like "oh here i have all this money let me spend it on a half-face mask to wear to the opera" BRO god Seungcheol is so young and precious hhh i love him

[The stranger scowled and did not look away, and Seungcheol decided that he needed to talk to Soonyoung and Seokmin about this.  At least to ask who this man was and why he felt the need to glare at him like this.]

lmao Karen Seungcheol

[“...unfortunately our star, the incomparable Boo Seungkwan, fell ill this morning,” Soonyoung was saying onstage with a gentle smile, lying directly to the audience, oh wonderful, “so his role will be filled by a newcomer by the name of Yoon Jeonghan.”

Yoon Jeonghan, Seungcheol thought over the loud, albeit hesitant, applause, heart sinking as it simultaneously fluttered.  That'd been him earlier, then.

Walking - rather, running - into the theater that morning Seungcheol had been inexplicably drawn to the blond chorus boy keeping to the edges of the company’s crowd.  Something about him had tugged at Seungcheol’s heart.  The way his golden hair fell along his collarbones was heartbreakingly familiar; the way his bow-shaped lips curled around an embarrassed smile, the way his ears tinged red, and every one of his delicate features told Seungcheol that somehow, someway, they knew each other.  He’d been too busy thinking to make the connection when Wonwoo had referred to him as “Mister Yoon” but now, watching him take his place onstage, Soonyoung and Seokmin long since gone, Seungcheol was certain that was indeed his childhood best friend.

So he'd been here all along.

He let out a breath as the curtains opened, Soonyoung and Seokmin long since gone, to reveal the first scene.  A ship, it seemed, and no one else shared the stage as the overture began, its melancholy notes quite immediately tugging at Seungcheol's heartstrings.

Or perhaps that was just the realization that Jeonghan was here.  He was going to be on that stage soon.  After ten years of aching, wanting to know where he'd gone, where he'd been taken -

Would he even remember Seungcheol, if he saw him?

The last time Seungcheol saw him was ten years before, singing a somber hymn at his own father’s funeral.  Ten years old and he’d had the voice of an angel back then, no matter how much it had shaken.  And now he was here, at the opera house he so loved as a child, making his debut.  Pride surged through Seungcheol’s body, victorious over the waves of hurt and regret that threatened, watching as his best - only - childhood friend took the stage.  He remembered helping Jeonghan put on shows for their parents years ago, in Seungcheol’s family’s home, Jeonghan dissolving into a fit of giggles every time Seungcheol would join him in dancing, caterwauling off-key.  Though, he probably wouldn't laugh if Seungcheol did that now.  Not that Seungcheol would dare ruin his debut in such a way.  No, that would mean leaving his box and he was simply too entranced by Jeonghan to even consider that.  Everything about him was beautiful, ethereal; every note he breathed, every whisper of fabric from his elaborate costume - as elaborate as the costumes his favorite childhood idols wore onstage -

Now the stage was his, like he’d always wanted, and Seungcheol grinned to himself.  Twenty years old, and Jeonghan still had the voice of an angel.

And, he'd be remiss not to notice, the beauty of one as well.

Seungcheol let his eyes wander a bit, taking in Jeonghan’s still-long blonde hair and the way it curled around his handsome face.  When they were younger and his locks reached past his shoulder blades Jeonghan had begged Seungcheol whenever he saw him to “please braid my hair Cheollie!”   Seungcheol had experience from his older sister and Jeonghan would sit patiently, sometimes chastising Seungcheol when he pulled too hard.  And afterwards Seungcheol would be rewarded with a kiss on the cheek and the brightest smile.  God, Jeonghan had definitely grown into a beautiful young man and Seungcheol’s heart squeezed as he watched him perform.

Ten years.  Ten years.  Would Jeonghan even remember him?]

"Can it be? Can it be Christine? / Brava, brava! / Long ago, it seems so long ago / How young and innocent we were / She may not remember me / But I remember her."

anyway Seungcheol is so love with Jeonghan already like Dude.... we get it.... but also if I were seeing Mansae-era Jeonghan in his Fallin' Flower outfit.... yeah dude I'd be in love too so

[With a sigh he glanced out at the audience (were they as bewitched as he was?) - and something caught his eye.  The angry stranger from before, the one in box five, was watching Jeonghan with rapt attention.  His lips moved in time with Jeonghan’s and it didn’t take much for Seungcheol to realize that he was singing along.  Hmm.  Apparently the man quite loved opera.  Except that, according to what Seungcheol knew about it, this production had never once been seen outside of Germany.

Who was that man?

And why was he watching Jeonghan so closely?

And why did that bother Seungcheol?]

heh :)))))

Okay with that, I think I'll be taking a break - adult duties call, unfortunately - but as always I hhhh really fucking love doing this and I love this fic and I hope you all are enjoying this too!  See you later with part two of chapter two! <3