It all started with a pair of shoes.
They had been white once but now they were held together with bright neon orange duct tape and the laces were nothing more than tattered threads. The first time he noticed them was at the park. It had rained earlier that day, leaving puddles of all sizes scattered along the ground. The pair of shoes had been placed beside a puddle, one shoe faced it while the other was turned toward him, as if someone had been turning to walk away but then disappeared mid-step.
Gilbert had sat and stared at them for hours. He had a strange sense that he was being watched back but he ignored it. A few weeks later as he was walking across a bridge, he saw the pair of shoes again. This time they were pointed toward the river, if someone had been there, they would have been in profile to Gilbert.
A crazy thought had plagued his mind. What would happen if he walked up to the shoes and struck up a conversation? The third time he had seen them, a miracle happened. It was a cold winter day with the sun shining down on the albino Prussian. Gilbert was strolling along the river trail when the shadow of a teen aged boy caught his eye.
When he looked, it was the pair of shoes that cast the shadow and yet they were just an empty pair of shoes. Gilbert raised a silver eyebrow in confusion as he looked around for someone pulling a prank but there were none.
"Oi!" Gilbert shouted. The shadow jumped and turned towards him, the empty shoes shuffled with the movement. "Vhat are you doing?" He asked. The question was innocent enough but for some reason the shadow stiffened. Sensing that he was about to run, Gilbert strode over to the empty pair of shoes and reached out to grasp where he thought the shadow's shoulders would be.
His long pale fingers curled around soft fabric and thinly muscled shoulders. Gilbert fought back a startled gasp and kept his face carefully neutral before giving a smug grin.
"I'm Gilbert." Gilbert said. The invisible teen in his grasp gasped softly, the air blew just as gently and a single word was whispered into his ear.
"Matthew."
From that day on, whenever Gilbert saw the orange duct taped shoes, he'd call out a greeting. Every time he'd watch in amusement as they spun to point in his direction and Matthew's shadow jump in surprise. Months past and Gilbert found himself seeking out the invisible Matthew and his annoyingly bright neon colored shoes. When he did find him, he'd sit by the shoes and hold a one sided conversation for hours on end.
Then one day it rained and Gilbert was finally able to lay eyes on the most adorable boy he'd ever seen. The first time he'd seen Matthew's shoes, it had been simple curiosity but the first time he saw Matthew's eyes, it had been love.
The rain poured down on them as they stood facing each other. The small drops of water hit Matthew and bounced off of him, creating a weak outline of the boy. Gilbert couldn't help but compare him to a ghost. The rain clinging to him made his features fade into existence, almost appearing to be transparent yet Gilbert couldn't actually see through him.
Matthew's hair was plastered to his face and made his loose red sweater cling to his lithe frame. His jeans where ripped at the knees but his beautiful amethyst eyes sparkled and shined with such unbridled happiness that it took Gilbert's breath from his chest.
Matthew's face was lit up with the most amazing smile he'd ever seen.
Before he could stop himself, Gilbert buried his fingers into Matthew's drenched blonde hair and pulled him forward, pressing his chapped lips to Matthew's full ones. The rain dripped off of their hair and fell into their faces. Matthew threw his arms around Gilbert's shoulders and clung to him as if his life depended on it as he surged up against the albino.
Gilbert felt the cold strands of hair and the freezing body pressed against him slowly warm up and then become hot. When they pulled away for air, Matthew was solid once again, the rain running down his face in thin streams. Gilbert kissed him deeply and passionately, tongues brushing together and teeth clashing. One of Gilbert's hands snaked around Matthew's waist and pulled him tighter against himself while his other hand went to the back of the blonde's head and held him firmly in place.
Gilbert sucked harshly on Matthew's tongue, eliciting a breathy moan from the boy as his fingers tugged on Gilbert's silvery hair, pulling him impossibly closer. Gilbert's heart felt as if it was trying to beat its way out of his chest and jump into Matthew's awaiting hands.
The deep sense of need and desperation to touch between them slowly died down into a simple comforting and loving caress of lips, tongues slipped against each other gently and their lips stuck together briefly as they pulled away for air.
Ruby stared into amethyst.
It ended with a kiss and the meeting of two hearts.