“I see everything,” Laurent said with a smile so wide it melted something in Beast and made him wonder if by ‘everything’ Laurent meant the depths of Beast’s soul. He looked to Beast’s chest and pulled on the collar of Beast’s tank top, making a shiver run down Beast’s spine. “The path to Paradise begins in Hell,” he read and translated the words from Beast’s skin.
Read out loud in Laurent’s warm, melodic voice, the quote made tiny feet of imaginary ants tap all over Beast’s body. “It’s... from Inferno,” he said, embarrassed that it came out so quietly, but it had been so long since anyone showed sincere interest in him that he was having a hard time staying calm. Surely, someone as ill-informed about the world as Laurent couldn’t be into him for the patches?
Understanding flashed through Laurent’s big brown eyes, and he kept smiling as if he’d gotten a Happy Meal. “Dante Alighieri’s Inferno?”
But time wouldn’t stand still and wait for Beast to get his fill of the warm touch. Laurent pulled away and started walking around the store with a look of wonder that made everything around seem new and exciting, even though this was a regular optician's in a run-down mall.
Beast followed Laurent the way Hound always followed him, mesmerized by the wild enthusiasm expressed in each graceful step. Laurent moved with a studied grace of a ballet dancer, his back always straight and his chin up high. It did not help Beast’s sanity at all that after watching Laurent in the shower and in the changing room, he had the image of Laurent’s naked body etched into his brain so firmly the hoodie covering Laurent’s ass couldn’t stop Beast’s imagination from running wild. Laurent’s skin, soft and warm to the touch, was smooth like fine porcelain, but despite the sense that Beast could break it with his clumsy hands, he still wanted to hold the boy tightly against him. He couldn’t remember having a sudden crush on someone that would be this strong.
“Yes,” he finally answered Laurent’s question. It made sense for a member of a religious sect to know of a book about hell.
Laurent’s eyesight problems must have been prominent, because he even walked with more vigor. And with this new confidence to his movements, Laurent approached the sales assistant—who had been trying hard not to look at them embracing—and kissed her hand.
“Thank you so much for your hard work. I cannot put into words how much I appreciate these glasses.”
The woman’s face brightened as soon as she got over the shock, and she slipped her hand away. “You are very welcome. Make sure to come back next week. We will have a new collection of Ray Ban glasses.”
Laurent thanked her once more and promised to do so. He returned to Beast with the widest of smiles, and as they left the store, he whispered excitedly. “Did you hear that? They will have glasses all the way from Ray Ban.”
Beast swallowed and reached out to touch Laurent’s shoulder. It was so warm in his palm that he didn’t want to let go until he absolutely had to. “Yes. Yes. I’m sure you could have some shipped even from Japan, if you wanted a particular model.”
Laurent was looking around as if he were only now seeing the mall for the first time, and a sense of pride grew in Beast that he was the one to gift Laurent the glasses. He would be special to Laurent. He didn’t want to get his hopes up too high, but the moment when Laurent looked at him with all the clarity provided by the vision aid, and then hugged him as if the twisted burn scars that permanently altered Beast’s naturally handsome features meant nothing, had been transcendent.
“That is beyond exciting.” Laurent looked over his shoulder at Beast, but then his attention scattered again when he saw himself in a full-length mirror. “Do I look like an average young man of Maine?”
Beast took a deep breath. He swallowed. He could just outright lie and confirm Laurent’s presumptions, but when would another opportunity to give a compliment fall into his lap? He was determined to not let it slip between his fingers.
“No. No, you’re very... every girl is making eyes at you when we walk,” he said in the end, cursing himself in silence when he realized there was no way to take back the silly words that directed Laurent’s attention away from him. Had he forgotten how to flirt? Was that how long it’d been? Yes, it was.
“Are they? You mean in the good sense, I hope?” Laurent walked on with a sly smile on his face that only made him look cuter. Beast would gladly bury his hands under Laurent’s T-shirt, carry him back to the H&M fitting room and fuck him there, uncaring if it got him permanently banned from the mall.