They quickly set off. Alain goes around the tall enceinte grille until they reach an old house against which the enceinte dies. Alain enters the carriage gateway with Gilbert following him, curious. Here's a deserted courtyard with a thick bush in one corner. Alain slips into it -- the wall has a low breach hidden by the branches.
"Here -- on the other side is the Roseraie. Come," he says then bends, quickly and nimbly disappearing on the other side.
Gilbert, with his heart in his mouth even more than when he enters the apartments to steal, follows him quickly -- also on the other side of the breach there is a thick bush. They emerge in a small lane of the Roseraie. Alain cuts across and proceeds, self assuredly, until he stops in a kind of small clearing amongst three trees and some bushes. Here he turns towards Gilbert with a sweet smile, takes him in his arms, holds him against his body, and kisses deeply into his mouth. Both bodies shudder, searching each other. Their young, bullying erections brush against each other. Little by little they find each other and they unite with passion. Their clothes now open, each caresses the other's body all over, licking and suckling each other. In turn, each lowers to suck the hard member of his companion with greedy desire. Moaning in their pleasure, they again kiss into each other's mouth... Alain pulls him down on the fresh grass, and they join in a passionate sixty-nine, forgetful of everything and everyone, until each gives his nectar, which the other greedily drinks.
Sated, they admire each other. "You are so beautiful, Gil..."
"You are sweet..."
"And you are strong..."
"I like you so much!"
"Do you already have a boyfriend?"
"No, Alain."
"Me neither."
"So, then..." Gilbert says, opening his arms.
Alain cuddles between them. "Together?"
"You and I?"
"Yes... I need you again..."
"Me too, Alain..." and they start again making love with renewed passion, thirsty for each other.
They rapidly finish undressing, and are again in each other's arms. Gilbert is charmed by the joy with which the other is making love, while Alain is conquered by the tender vigor with which his companion unites to him. The branches softly rustle in the light night breeze that caresses their naked bodies, and it seems that all the nature is sharing their shudders. The moon peeps through the tree branches and seems to smile upon the two young, passionate lovers.
"Oh, take me, Gilbert! I want to feel all of you inside me!" Alain pants.
"Yes, but then you'll take me, won't you?"
"Sure... God, how beautiful you are! Take me, go on!" Alain invokes.
Gilbert makes him stand up and lean against a tree with his hands, then crouches behind him and caresses his small, firm butts. He pushes his face between them and starts to skillfully lick the hidden hole of his new friend. Alain moans aloud, begging him again to take him. Gilbert stands up, leans against him, and finally starts to penetrate him while fondling his turgid nipples. Alain pushes himself against him and starts to masturbate himself.
But Gilbert makes him stop. "No, afterwards you have to take me..." he says while he starts to move inside him, gently but firmly.
"Oh, Gil, that's great!" Alain moans, enraptured.
Even though he came shortly before, Gilbert has a sudden, very strong orgasm -- he likes this boy too much! Gilbert unloads inside him, moaning in his pleasure. Then he slowly slips out. Alain turns back, and they embrace and kiss. Their tongues play - at times light, at times greedy - and their eyes shine.
Then Gilbert leans against the tree and offers himself to his companion. "Go on..." he murmurs, excited.
Alain leans against him and Gilbert guides the nice bolt of his friend inside himself with his hand. While he is slowly sinking inside him, Alain emits a long, shivering sigh.
"Do you like it?" Gilbert asks in a murmur.
"It's to die for. And you?"
"So very much. Go on..."
Alain starts to piston inside him. Gilbert turns his head back so that they can kiss again. Alain embraces him tightly, and increases the rhythm and force of his pushes. Gilbert grinds his body against him slightly, to make him understand how much he is enjoying their passionate union. Alain catches the message and now moves with more vigor. He feels his orgasm approaching. Finally he empties himself inside the other, their mouths still tightly sealed in a deep kiss, and both they moan with intense pleasure.
When they part, almost with sorrow, the firmament shines in their eyes.
"We have to get dressed..." Alain whispers, regretfully.
"Yes... God, how beautiful you are!"
"Never as you are, Gil..." the other sweetly murmurs while brushing his chest, adding, "It's a shame that I live with my family. I would like staying with you on a bed. I would like to fall asleep in your arms."
"Yes... and I would wake you by covering you with kisses." Gilbert murmurs, deeply stirred. They dress. They kiss again.
"When can we meet again?" Gilbert asks, caressing the nape of Alain's neck.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow. Where?"
"In the evening, here again. But you will work... Maybe in the afternoon? Where can we go?"
"Wouldn't you come to my apartment?"
"At your place? Do you live alone?"
"Yes..."
"And we can make love in your bed?"
"Sure..."
"Perfect. Where can we meet? What time?"
"Do you know of the bistro Chez René?"
"Yes."
"There in front, at five p.m., all right?"
"Very good."
"I live close by."
They pass again through the breach hidden by the bushes.
"How did you discover this passage? Have you come here with other men?" Gilbert asks, feeling a hint of jealousy at that thought.
"No, never. I discovered this when I was a kid, playing hide and seek. I often came back here during the nighttime, when I want to be alone. You are the first I've taken here." Alain answers sweetly.
Gilbert is happy. But he again asks, "Did you have many lovers?"
"Well, several...but never anyone important. And you?"
"Yes, but also for me, never anyone like you."
"We barely know each other."
"But enough to know that I want only you!"
"That's true. The first time I saw you, I felt you were something special. Your eyes..."
"But you didn't let me understand it that time," Gilbert says.
"I thought I would never again meet you. And instead..."
They say good-bye in front of Alain's house. In the half dark street, at that moment, there is nobody. Gilbert pushes him in the darkness of a hallway, embraces and kisses him.
"See you tomorrow, Alain."
"I'll count the hours."
"Still sixteen." Gilbert murmurs.
"See you soon..." Alain whispers, opening the street door and sneaking inside.
Gilbert goes back home. He feels as though he is floating on the clouds... light... happy. Alain is no longer just a dream, for they met, and united... and Alain wanted him again. He is a thousand times better than on the pictures -- he is so beautiful, so sweet, and so passionate!
Next morning... Gilbert starts to do the big cleaning, tidying up the small apartment. He wants Alain feel good at his place... and with him. He changes the sheets on the bed. He goes downstairs to buy flowers and lots of pralines. He fills the fridge with drinks. He hides the two pictures he stole from Alain's home. At three thirty he takes a long shower, then spruces up for his new lover. A four thirty he is already in front of the bistro. He has to wait just ten minutes before he sees him coming. From afar they smile to each other. Alain has a plastic bag in his hand.
When he arrives near Gilbert, he hands it to him. "It's for you..."
"For me? What's it?"
"A little thought. I hope you'll like it."
"May I open it?"
"At home. Can we go?"
"Sure, come..."
They go upstairs. Gilbert feels deeply stirred, and his emotions seem to increase with each step they climb. He opens his door, and steps aside to let Alain enter first.
Alain looks around. "You're lucky, to have a place only for you!"
"It's nothing special, the house is old."
"I like this place. Will you show me around?"
"Oh, there is little to see. This is the living room... here is the kitchen... the bathroom... and this is my bedroom."
"I like the roof sloping down, and the dormer-window."
"The bed is not so wide..."
"It will be enough for us, right?" Alain says with a gentle smile as he girdles Gilbert's waist and leans against him. They kiss.
Gilbert looks at the bag he has in his hand. "Can I open it now?"
"Sure."
Gilbert opens the small parcel. There is a box: he opens it -- it is a biscuit knick-knack representing two small squirrels standing up on their rear legs, one in front of the other, as if they are kissing.
"You and I..." Alain says.
"Beautiful! When did you find them?"
"This morning. Instead of going to the university, I toured the shops. I hoped to be able to find something to... to remind you about us, when we are not together. I didn't know what could, but then I saw these two squirrels, and I thought they were perfect..."
"Yes, thank you..." Gilbert says -- putting them on his bedside table -- then embraces Alain and, intimately kissing him, pushes him towards the bed.
They slowly undress each other... looking, touching, each enjoying the growing excitation of the other. They say no more words -- they don't need to -- now it is their eyes and their bodies that talk in their behalf. They express to each other the mutual desire in a silent, yet eloquent way. They don't unite at once... they first explore each other for a long while, each intoxicating the other.
This is the first time that Gilbert has had somebody in his bed. He never felt so much happiness. From the open window the setting sun caresses the two joined bodies, their limbs gently intertwined. And when finally they unite, sun explodes in their eyes, and on their bodies thirsty for love. Time and space doesn't exist any more. It's as though the walls of the room dissolve, leaving them suspended in an unreal space where the only concrete things are their bodies giving and receiving love. Alain receives him with gratitude, and Gilbert takes him with equal gratitude.
When they come back to the earth, they look at each other, filled with joy.
Gilbert slips at his side, to better admire him. "You are too beautiful, Alain... you're to die for... I'll steal you, to have you here forever." he whispers.
Alain looks at him slightly surprised and says, "You'll steal me? That's a curious expression. I'm already yours, am I not?"
Gilbert bites his tongue -- he remembered what he wrote on that slip of paper. "Yes, but in a while you have to go, so..."
"Therefore you would steal me," Alain says thoughtfully.
"Yes... I don't know how such a sentence came out. Why?"
"Nothing... I was thinking... it is just a curious coincidence..."
"What are you talking about?" Gilbert asks, his heart beating strongly.
"Oh, nothing special. Once, somebody stole my picture and left a scrap of paper on which he wrote that he would have liked to steal me..."
"Oh, really? And who was he?" Gilbert asks.
"I've no idea. I just found it a gallant sentence. I still have that slip of paper amongst my things."
"You can throw it away. Now you are with me, and I don't want anybody stealing you from me..."
"Me neither..."
"I didn't even offer you something... do you want a drink?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Good... wait here for me," Gilbert says, leaving the bed.
Alain looks at his beautiful body... naked, slender, strong, and virile. Gilbert is soon back with two beers and the pralines. He lies again at Alain's side, gives him one beer, and then puts a praline between his lips.
"You are spoiling me, Gilbert. What a treat!" the young man murmurs, letting the chocolate melt in his mouth.
"Do you prefer the pralines... or me?" Gilbert asks as he puts another in his mouth.
"Can't I have both?" Alain asks with a cunning smile.
"No, you have to make a choice!" the other answers with faked seriousness.
"In that case... you!" Alain says with a smile.
"If it's so, you can also have all the pralines you want. Not too many, anyway, or you'll get fat. I like you as you are, slender."
"There is no danger... it's enough making love with you, and I'll burn all the energies."
"In this case, I have to give you lot of pralines!" Gilbert exclaims. The two youths laugh.
Alain kisses him. "You taste good with chocolate."
"It is lecherous..."
"Gilbert, I feel too good with you!"
"The same for me."
"I ate too many pralines, I'm afraid."
"Therefore you now have to burn energies?"
"I think so."
"Good, then let me take care of that. You'll see that now I'll make you burn all of them."
"Yes... please..."
The sun is slowly setting and the room is filled with a golden light that envelops the two fresh bodies, again shuddering with passion. Gilbert's hair, which is the color of ripe wheat, shines like an aureole between the gentle fingers of Alain.
"I love you..." the young man murmurs in ecstasy.
"Say it again..." Gilbert whispers.
"I love you, Gil... I love you..."
"Again..."
"I love you..."
"You are mine."
"A thousand per cent yours..."
"And I?"
"Mine, of course!"
"Yours..."
Parting is difficult. Alain doesn't want to go... and Gilbert doesn't want to let him go. But they must. Gilbert looks at him while he is dressing, and feels as though suddenly the night came.
"I'll see you to the street..." Gilbert says as he himself starts to dress.
"No, remain in your bed, don't dress. I want to conserve this image of you, for the next time."
"When?"
"Tomorrow, isn't it?"
"At the same time?"
"Wait for me here, now that I know the way."
"Naked?"
"Naked, sure. It would be a shame to cover that beautiful body... your skin is your most elegant suit. See you tomorrow, Gil."
Gilbert, now alone, thinks, "He said I love you... was it just the passion of that moment or does he really... we just met, but..."
They meet again...not really every day, but often. They also go to the movies together, to stroll. They go back to the Roseraie during the daytime to see again the place of their first love exchange. And Alain tells him again that he is in love with him. Gilbert, happy, tells him that he too is in love with him, and that this is his first time. Gilbert makes a copy of his house key so that his lover can enter when he likes... so that he wouldn't feel like a guest at his place, but at home. It's a way to tell him that now they are really together, even if they can't still live together.
Gilbert now no longer hustles. This was not a choice made out of reasoning, but one that came on spontaneous, implicit instinct. But, at times, he still goes to make his night visits to empty apartments.
The better they know each other, the better they fit well together. Alain falls more and more in love with his Gilbert. He adores him, and he is ready to do anything and everything for him. He feels so good near Gilbert, and in his small apartment. If only he was economically independent from his family, he could go at once to live with Gilbert.
But as a university student, he can't yet afford that.