A Kiss of Crimson

Chapter 1

Across the countryside of England,  church bells toll out their final farewell  to another young life lost to their own grief. In the back of the church stands a young man of about 20 with blonde hair the color of newborn chicks. Up front the family grieves together with a dear friend. As the services end and the mourners file out, Greg turns to his best friend with puffy eyes and tear streaked cheeks, his short crimson hair slicked back stylishly, "I only wish I knew why he did it... Why would my brother take his own life?"

Stephan hugs Greg and speaks with a heavy french accent, "We will probably never know for certain mon ami"

The blonde man in the back waits patiently for everyone else to leave, noding politely to the other guests clad in black. Once everyone else is gone, he approaches the coffin taking a rose from his breast pocket the color of red only seen at the deepest hour of sunset. He steps up to the alter and kisses the rose before placing in the icy hands of the young man laid out in his Sunday best to sleep forever. Hearing a noise from the clergy office, the blonde turns and runs from the church with tears blurring his vision and falling down his cheeks to sparkle in the wind as his feet carry him away.

Sometime later, a carriage drops off the two friends at Greg's flat in the city. Once inside, the door closing with a soft click leaves them in a welcoming darkness. Stephan wraps Greg in a warm embrace and kisses the top of his head, "I'm so sorry about your brother... Il est une tragédie terrible."

Greg sighs leaning into Stephan's strong arms and breathing in his scent. He takes a shuddering breath and whispers into his chest, "Please, just hold me..."

Stephan holds Greg tightly rubbing his back and shoulders. "Je t'adore mon amie"

Greg pushes him away suddenly and violently, anger radiating from his eyes so light brown they are almost golden. "If you love me so much, why can't we tell our families?" With a harsh sob, he falls back into Stephan's arms hitting his chest with both fists and cries shoulders shaking. "Do you know how hard that was on me today?  When I needed you the most, you were cold... distant..."

Stephan pushes him away gently and reaches down to light the candle by the door, holding it up to light their faces in its warm glow revealing his eyes the color of winter skies on a clear day, his hair as black as a raven's wing. He runs his fingers through Greg's short crimson mop of hair with a tender smile. "Tu sais pourquoi, they would never accept us." Stephan caresses his cheek, " What we have, I would never give up, mais hélas, it is forbidden and must never see the light of day."
He brings Greg's chin up and lays a soft kiss upon his lips, " Vous êtes mon cœur, ma belle Greg, we do not need for them or anyone else to know. "
Greg takes Stephan's hand in his pressing it to his cheek and leans into the warm touch and looks at him with golden eyes sparkling in the candelight. "I am beautiful to you and yet you say I can never be yours outside these doors." He smiles mischievously, "If I cannot be your girl, then I shall be your belle Greg, your Grell."
Stephan smiles warmly caressing Greg's face, "Grell... " He tries it as if tasting a fine wine to see how it rolls off his tounge,  "I like it, Grell" He kisses the red head softly. "Allons-y Grell, let me warm your spirits with my body" Stephan grins as he carries the candle leading Greg to the bedroom by the hand, their fingers interlaced.