This first Chapter is short but my first chapters are always short!

Chapter 2 will be longer I promise

In the meanwhile... Enjoy

Francis had an unusual childhood. His father married four times giving him five sisters and he never got to meet his mother. Being the only boy in the family (except from his father) was pretty hard because of the very strong feminine influence. Plus, his father being the only one to take care of all of them, he didn't get as much attention as he would have wished for, especially since he gave a lot of his love to the two girls born when he was with the Italian lady. Fortunately, this didn't influence his relationship with his sisters and the six of them were a happy family.

As soon as he was old enough, Francis left the house and went back to his mother's country: France. He bought a small apartment he shared with two other people and started flirting around. He's often end with someone, men or women, in his bed even if deep down he would have preferred to stop before it went deep. But it was so easy for him! He was beautiful. His deep blue eyes, his blond hair and his sharp features gave him a lot of charm that he knew he had and knew how to use. Party, drinking and flirting were, for five years, the heart of his daily life.

This changed one faithful night after a party in a bar. He had drunk too much a lot and was a bit tipsy. Someone took advantage of that and Francis found himself in a bed, forced to do something he didn't want to do with someone he didn't like and wasn't gentle with him at all. He woke up the next morning bruised and broken and decided he didn't want to continue like this.

He moved to a small apartment in Paris and started over. He started appreciating small things of life and found out he had a talent for painting, drawing and photography. At night, there was always a nightmare that came to hunt him and so he often found himself painting whit silent tears rolling down his cheeks. He worked at a small café called "la rose et le lys" The rose and the lily and made two important friends there: Antonio and Gilbert. The two were regulars at the café and quickly noticed something was wrong with the blond. With time and patience, they managed to make him come out of his shell and helped him build a shield to prevent another traumatic experience. The three of them became best friends and Gilbert and Antonio were the only one to know that when Francis flirted it was because he felt uncomfortable.

Every Sunday, Francis would visit Ludwig, a German war veteran, and would keep him company. Ludwig lived in a small apartment in the building in front of where Francis lived. If the German looked outside his window, he'd see Francis' window and Vice Versa. Because of his numerous scars and "war souvenirs", Ludwig didn't go out of his apartment and because of that Francis was his only visit. And so, every Sunday and when he had a day off from work Francis would cross the street to bring him food, cook for him and keep him company. Ludwig didn't talk much liked to listen to Francis talk. The German had found nostalgia and sadness behind the Frenchman's eyes and was trying to decipher it. He had found out that when Francis talked he was more happy more… alive. He had yet to discover what was the problem with the man (even if he had a small idea) but for now he was happy with listening to him talk.

But even with his new friends, and his new vision of life, the nightmares were still there. Every once in a while, Francis would dream of that night that had changed his life and would wake up crying. Those nights, he longed for the warmth of someone that would love and respect him. Those nights, he wished he could find a way to be truly happy.

What he didn't know was that his life was about to change drastically.

"Where's Gilbert?" Francis gave Antonio his usual coffee and took this opportunity to voice his concern about the third member of the trio. "Today is a very special day for him… and not in a good way" answered Antonio. "Oh?" To gain some time the Frenchman started cleaning the table. "He had a brother a few years ago. A soldier. He was very attached to him and today is the today Gilbert received the letter stating that he was dead." "Ouch, that must have been terrible. Is he going to be ok?" "Yes, this happens every year, tomorrow he will be back to his old loudmouthed self!" The two laughed at that and Francis got back to work, but not without making a mental note to call Gilbert later today. Just to make sure. "Francis!" Elizaveta, another waitress came running to him. "You have your break in half an hour right?" "yes" "Would you mind running a small errand for me?" "Of course not, chérie, what can I do for you?" Elizaveta laughed "Always charming, I need you to go pick up flowers for me they are under my name. It's already paid so you just need to ask" "No problem" "Thanks a lot!"

Later that day, Francis was walking to the flower shop and because it was raining (and he had forgotten his umbrella, again) he decided to take the metro. He walked past a photo booth and was very surprised to see a man with dirty blond hair kneeling in front of it and apparently looking for something under it. Intrigued, he stopped and watched. The man, obviously feeling stared looked up and their eyes met. Deep blue met emerald green and the Frenchman felt his heart flutter. Quickly he turned and kept walking trying hard not to look back. He arrived at the flower shop, asked the merchant for the flowers and got back outside. While heading back to the café he passed in front of the same photo booth, but the man wasn't there anymore.

When his day to work ended, Francis went back to his apartment but before going up the stairs he stopped by Heracles, the building's owner, door. "Come… in" Said the sleepy voice of the Greek. "Hum, hi, I was just wondering if it were possible for me to pay the rent a bit later this week. I'm getting paid this Friday." Heracles was the very slow kind of guy and so didn't immediately register the question. "Come and… sit. Drink a small glass of Porto…." Knowing he didn't have much of a choice Francis sat in front of Heracles and drank the glass he gave him. "I had a lover once…. Went to war in Turkey. He used to write a letter each weak…. But ended cheating, forgetting me and dying…. I have never been the same since…." The man started talking as if Francis was an old friend, not seeming to care if the blond was in a hurry or not (Thank god he wasn't!) "All the sweet things…. He called me and told me…. I kept all his letters here, in this box…" He had a distant gaze before turning back to his guest. "But you wanted to know if you could pay later…. Of course you can… as long as it doesn't happen often" Francis nodded gave a quick thanks and left. He liked Heracles… Even if he was a bit slow he was a nice guy and very responsible too, despite what most people thought. Francis unlocked his door, went in and threw his bag on the couch. He grabbed his phone and composed Gilbert's number. "Hey? Gilbert here" His voice sounded very tired "Hey Gil? It's Francis" "hey Franny! How are you doing?" "Fine, you however…. I called to make sure you're okay. 'tonio told me the story" "I'll be fine. Like each year" The two friends paused. "Life is unfair… He… was normal. Unlike me. Blue serious eyes and blond hair always in order… He didn't deserve to die…" The albinos sighted "I understand, Gil, I understand…"

That night, Francis couldn't sleep. So many things had happened in one day. For one, he couldn't get his mind off the green eyed man the photo booth. Just Thinking about him made him shiver. Those hypnotizing eyes, his way of being concentrated even if he was in a ridiculous position… Merde. He barely knew the guy and there he was being all poetic about it… Not good Francis, not good. Second there was Gilbert's brother. The man was supposed to be dead but Gil's brother and the Ludwig he visited every Sunday had a lot in common. Blue serious eyes, blond hair always carefully brushed and the both being soldiers in the German army… Francis was someone that believed in coincidences but two persons having so much in common was rare. He didn't dare ask Gilbert for his brother's name because he felt the pain was enormous but maybe if he started by asking Ludwig if the man ever had a brother he could eventually get somewhere. He had the day off tomorrow and was planning to see Ludwig anyway, He'd ask him then.

Francis rolled over and finally managed to feel tired now that his thoughts were cleared a bit. He closed the lights and was asleep in ten minutes. That night, he dreamed of green eyes and reunited family and when morning came, the Frenchman was sure of one thing:

If he manages to bring joy to Ludwig and Gilbert, it was decided: He would start taking care of the others' lives.

If you can drop a review, it would be greatly apreciated!

Bye~