Gilbert Cocteau is the illegitimate son of Count Cocteau, conceived during the Count's travels in Provence. His mother died shortly after his birth. Acknowledged yet rejected by his father due to his low-born mother and illegitimate status, Gilbert is sent to live in the servants' quarters of the Cocteau estate. He endures neglect and systematic sexual abuse from his father's guests from a very young age, a situation tacitly permitted by the Count.

This childhood trauma defines Gilbert. He develops a deep-seated belief that his sole value lies in his physical beauty and ability to provide sexual pleasure, fueling self-loathing and manipulative tendencies. Sent to the prestigious all-male Lacombrade Academy on scholarship, his beauty gains immediate notoriety. He engages in transactional sexual relationships with wealthy students, maintaining a facade of cynical detachment while secretly yearning for genuine affection.

At Lacombrade, Gilbert forms a pivotal relationship with Serge Battour, a kind-hearted but naive younger student and distant Cocteau relative. Serge is drawn to Gilbert despite his reputation. Gilbert initially manipulates and pushes Serge away, reflecting his internalized hatred and fear of intimacy. Serge's persistent kindness and unconditional love gradually break through Gilbert's defenses, forging a deep and genuine emotional bond central to Gilbert's existence.

Gilbert also shares a toxic relationship with his cousin Auguste Beau, another Lacombrade student. Auguste harbors obsessive, possessive feelings towards Gilbert, stemming from shared childhood abuse and Auguste's unstable psyche. Auguste both desires and resents Gilbert, acting with extreme cruelty fueled by jealousy, particularly towards Serge.

Gilbert's past continuously haunts him. His sexual history and reputation make him a target for exploitation and blackmail within the academy's hierarchy. The arrival of his father, Count Cocteau, triggers a crisis. The Count publicly humiliates and rejects Gilbert again, reinforcing Gilbert's worthlessness and shame. This event, combined with Auguste's pressure and societal condemnation, pushes Gilbert to a breaking point.

Overwhelmed by despair and believing his presence harms Serge, Gilbert attempts suicide by jumping from the academy's clock tower. He survives but sustains severe, irreversible injuries. Paralyzed and bedridden, his health deteriorates steadily. Despite Serge's devoted care, Gilbert ultimately succumbs to his injuries and complications. His death leaves a lasting impact on Serge and others at Lacombrade.

Gilbert embodies intense contradictions: profound vulnerability masked by cynicism, a desperate need for love expressed through self-sabotage, and fierce intelligence overshadowed by trauma. His journey traces a tragic arc from isolated despair to a fragile connection with Serge, ultimately undone by the inescapable weight of his past and societal persecution.