He'd barely had time to catch his breath before being forced under the water. There was no time to scream, no point wasting what little air he had, shutting his eyes tightly and holding on desperately to not breath in the water. It would get worse. Even now, Gilbert knew that. It never ended at just an attempt of drowning, he'd been told of the tortures that happened in the village by Ludwig himself. Ludwig. His poor sweet love. Would the man sob over his body? Would he ever even be allowed near it?
All of this had been exactly what Gilbert had been fearful of since he was a small child. The boy was born with skin devoid of pigmentation, hair as white as ivory, and eyes the color of blood. The moment Mother had laid eyes on him, she'd become fearful, stealing him away to the woods. He'd grown up there, with mother always warning him that should he see other people, he was to hide. That they wouldn't understand, would harm him. And he'd followed her instructions, even after she had died, well into his teens. Until that day.
He'd been bathing in the river, so sure that there was no one near, that he wouldn't be caught. And so Gilbert had relaxed back in the water, allowing the gentle current to soothe his anxieties away, to help him relax. Crimson eyes had been shut, merely enjoying the day when he'd felt the eyes on him. Gilbert would never have words to describe the burst of sheer terror and cold that had washed over him as he peeked his eyes open slowly, just to spot blonde locks and blue eyes sitting on the bank. He'd forced himself to stand, wincing at the audible gasp as the other spotted his eyes, waiting for some kind of attack, for a cry of witch or devil.
It never came.
Instead, the strange blonde had shifted closer when Gilbert finally emerged from the water, looking up at him from his spot on the bank with those piercing blue eyes. "I'm very sorry to disturb your bath, I didn't mean to. I didn't think there was anyone else out here. I'm Ludwig. Ludwig Kaltenbach." The boy had told him, tilting his head in curiosity to stare up at the older teen. "You know, you really have the most intriguing eyes. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone else with eyes like that!"
At first, Ludwig had been a mere annoyance to Gilbert, but one he tolerated because of his loneliness, it wasn't as though he'd ever had another friend. And it wasn't as though he was that bad, just a few years younger, and far too excitable. The blonde was a scrawny little thing, and as they became better and better friends, Gilbert had deemed it his responsibility to watch over Ludwig. After all, he wasn't scrawny, sickly yes, but never scrawny. Years of working in the woods, cutting his own firewood and hunting to survive had made damn sure of that. Over time though… something changed. Gilbert wasn't even sure he could pinpoint when it had happened. Maybe the summer that Ludwig had suddenly grown so much, become so tall and handsome? Or perhaps it was the first time the blonde had snuck out of his home in the village and into the woods to stay with Gilbert overnight in the run down wooden cottage he called home.
Even now he remembered that night fondly. The way that Ludwig had slid into the bed beside him, a flush dancing on porcelain cheeks, even as Gilbert had reached out to capture his hand, cradling it so tenderly in his own, their bodies pressed close and legs tangled together as though it would keep the outside world at bay. One timid kiss had been shared in the darkness of the night, and then another, and another, each growing more desperate as their bodies all but clung to one another, seeking the comfort that they could only feel together. No, Gilbert would never know when exactly he had fallen for Ludwig, only that by the time he noticed, it was far too late.
After that night, Ludwig had been a visitor in the darkness on almost a nightly basis, and Gilbert couldn't lie and say he wasn't pleased about it. He'd never had that kind of comfort before, hadn't been loved since his mother had died so long before. He really ought to have turned him away, to send the younger man home, and yet, selfishly, he invited him in, to both his bed and his heart, stealing first the younger boys lips, and then his everything. Both had been all too aware that it was a sin, one punishable by death should anyone find out. And yet, neither had cared. They had fancied themselves safe, buried deep in the woods as though in their own little world, their soft cries and whispers of adoration falling only on their ears, and the stillness of the night.
Neither would ever know who had found out, who had followed Ludwig into the woods and seen them. Maybe the blonde's mother, maybe a jealous woman he'd spurned, Gilbert knew not. All he knew was the men who had showed up to his house with pitchforks and flames, just to spot his coloring. And then had come the cries he'd feared for so long- witch, devil! Demonspawn!
Gilbert sucked in a grateful breath as he was pulled from the water, gasping for air and panting hard, unable to get nearly enough air into his lungs, just to be met with angry villagers eyes once more. He knew then- to them, they had their proof. "P-please… please, I'm not a demon!" He begged as they untied him from the chair, just to bind him once more, wrists behind his back, feet shackled so all he could do was shuffle along, tears pouring down his face as he was pushed forward, heading towards the town. He was afraid. More afraid than he had ever been before, and all he could do was pray that his sweet Ludwig was safe, that he wouldn't cry too much over his body- after all, if Gilbert was to die, his only hope would be that Ludwig could move on and someday be happy.
"Shut up, demon. As if we would believe your filthy lies!" One of the villagers snarled, giving him a rough push, just to deliver a swift kick to Gilbert's ribs as he tripped and fell to the ground, another man soon joining in with a foot to his jaw. It hurt… oh god, how it hurt. How he prayed for it to be over. And soon it was, for the moment at least, as he was forced back to his feet, finally reaching the village. Did his love even know what was happening? Part of him hoped he didn't. He didn't want Ludwig to hurt…
...And that was when he spotted it, there in the center of the village Gilbert had never before been to, surrounding by jeering villagers, men, women, and even small children, all growing more afraid and angry as he himself came into view. "Ludwig!" He screamed, growing even more panicked as he watched the love of his life being led up the wooden platform, his hands bound as a rope necklace was placed around his neck.
"No! What are you doing? He hasn't done anything wrong!" Gilbert screamed, trying to fight against his restraints, trying to run to the platform, to his love, who simply offered him a sad smile, those blue eyes he so adored still shining with tender affection as Ludwig mouthed a silent I love you. Gilbert could feel his heart breaking in his chest as he continued to fight his restraints. No. This wasn't happening. He didn't care if they killed him, but how could they lay one hand on Ludwig, precious, angelic Ludwig, who would never hurt a fly.
"We thought you might like that, demon." One of the men holding him mocked harshly. "He's been sentenced to death for fornicating with a hellspawn. What, don't you like seeing your little whore all ready to go to hell with you?"
Something inside of Gilbert snapped then. "Don't you ever call him that!" He screamed, lunging at one of the man and biting them roughly, taking a good chunk out of him, headbutting another before bolting towards the platform, towards Ludwig. But it was too late, the executioner pulling the lever that dropped the floor out from beneath the blonde, the light soon leaving his eyes as he dangled like a ragdoll from a string. Crimson eyes stared up in horror, the tears beginning to fall in earnest now. Gilbert fell to his knees, agonized sobs falling from his lips, bone-chilling in their suffering. His eyes narrowed as he struggled to his feet, pressing his back to the platform to face the village, burning with rage. "You will pay for this." He whispered, voice low and threatening. "I will see every last one of you burn for what you have done to him! Kill me if you wish, I will haunt your sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters. Never will this town rid itself of the blood it's spilled!" Gilbert swore.
He didn't fight as he was dragged to a pyre and tied to a post. Nor as his feet were left free so the villagers could watch him writhe. And as flames began to lick at his body, all he could do was stare straight ahead at unseeing blue eyes of the man who had given up everything to love him. The corners of Gilbert's lips tugged up into a sick mirror of the smile he always wore when he and Ludwig were alone, the villagers watching in horror as he began to laugh, a sick, hoarse noise, steadily growing in it's insanity. It seemed to get louder and louder until it was near deafening, the children in the crowd beginning to cry in fear as one of Gilbert's feet kicked out one of the burning logs, directly into a house, watching as it went up into flames, another soon joining it, and then another. It wasn't long until the town was engulfed, villagers screaming in fear for mercy from the God that had damned both Gilbert and his love.
And as Gilbert himself continued to burn, all he could do was laugh. All he could do was stare at Ludwig's body as the screams continued to fill the air, a whispered, "I'll be with you soon, my sweet." falling from his lips as Gilbert took his last breath, leaving nothing but fire in his wake.