✧ 36 ✧
Beast tossed Ilya onto a soft flat surface, a king-sized mattress filled with holes, isolated in a messy room. Empty cans and human bones covered the cold decaying floor.
This was Beast's bedroom. The wolf's lair. The monster's cave.
Ilya whined when the bones of his broken wrist shifted. Then he backed away from the giant shadow near him.
Beast threw his hands up and snapped at the terrified young human.
"Would you stop crying already?"
Ilya was a sobbing mess. Meeting Charlie had given him hope, only to be taken away from him instantly, which had its toll on him. He couldn't hold it back anymore, the crying, the panic, all of the dreadful feelings invading his weak human body.
Ilya curled up against the wall at the edge of Beast's bed, helpless and scared. His breaths hitched, rattling his chest as heavy tears flowed freely over his snow-paled cheeks.
"Ugh. Shut up."
Beast held his head and grunted as he paced around the room. His yellow eyes glanced at the injured boy, hoping to see him stop that noisy sound that he didn't know bothered him until Ned's name came up.
Ned. Why now? After all these years.
"Goddamn it!" Beast started yelling at the boy, like the monster he'd always been. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
Ilya crowded himself in a corner and covered his ears. His heartbreaking sobs didn't stop. They came out of him uncontrollably and he couldn't stop them. All he could do was brace himself for Beast's rage.
But Beast demonstrated something far more terrifying than rage—Insanity.
He started arguing with himself, with two versions of him.
"Just a peek. Let's take just one little peek."
Beast came closer to the boy, then abruptly halted.
"No!"
He yelled and turned on his heels, grunting and running his fingers through his thick fuzzy mane.
"Gah! No fucking way! We will not!"
One voice was loud and angry, while the other was gentle and calm.
"He's not Ned!"
Beast kicked a pile of cans, startling the boy in his room.
"I know." Beast's shoulders slumped, and he sighed. "But don't you want to see him one last time?"
A moment of silence has passed.
Then that soft version of Beast's voice said, "I want to see."
Beast came back to Ilya. This time he got closer and was almost face to face with him.
Then Beast was pulled back again by his loud other half.
In horror, Ilya watched as a monster spiraled into insanity, and a mysterious argument unfolded before his eyes.
Ilya couldn't believe Beast could get scarier, but he did.
All this happened while Ilya struggled with his own illness.
The room spun, the lights pulsed, the faces warped, and the sounds distorted.
Finally, Beast settled.
"OK." He exhaled and stood calm. "Just a peek."
When Beast sat down in front of Ilya and leaned forward, Ilya quickly hid his face in the corner again, shaking. He squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that Beast would leave him be.
Yet Beast proceeded to hold the boy's head between his big hands.
"Lemme see you."
A wail desperately escaped, that revealed Ilya's unspoken suffering. Then it was cut off by hysterical sobs. He grabbed Beast's fingers and helplessly tried to break free of his clutches.
Once the boy's head was secured in place, Beast commanded.
"Kid. Look at me."
Beast's voice was so deep and strong that made Ilya comply instantly. His eyes blinked away the tears and remained unfocused, darting everywhere but at Beast.
Beast shook the boy and yelled, "Stop blinking and look at us!"
He let go and furiously stood up, punching and kicking the air.
"Goddamn it!"
Ilya let out a whine and retreated to his corner, covering his ears again.
"Stop it." Beast's quieter voice spoke. "You're scaring him."
Beast breathed through his anger and slowly let go of his hair until his arms relaxed down. Then he sat on the large mattress and talked to Ilya in the most soothing voice imaginable.
"I'm sorry." He sighed. "I'm not angry at you. I just want to see your face."
Ilya slowly turned to Beast's direction, but couldn't look at him. His head was lowered. Confusion was written all over his face when that calming voice came out of such a monster.
"Here," Beast said.
The next thing Ilya felt was a hand cupping his chin and a piece of cloth wiping the side of his face.
Ilya flinched and pushed Beast's hand away from him. Shuddering breaths made his whole body shudder.
Beast stopped what he was doing and said, "It's OK. I'm just cleaning your wound."
Ilya was quiet, except for a few sad sounds that came out as he breathed. A remnant of his sobs were disguising, in fear of upsetting the beast.
"I just want to see your eyes," Beast whispered in a kind tone. "Would you please let me see them?"
It was a weird question, but if Beast told you to do something, then you better do it. Even if this version of Beast seemed nicer.
At least Ilya wanted to comply and avoid upsetting Beast. However, in this cold scary room, he found himself wrapping his good arm around him and shrinking on himself.
Suddenly, a gentle but stern grip took hold of his face, swiftly turning it to meet Beast's face.
"Forgive me."
Ilya gasped. Eyes widened. Heart raced. Skin crawled from the non-consensual touch and that scrutinizing gaze before him.
Beast searched for something in the boy's eyes, those bloodshot eyes glistening with tears and wavering back and forth at his.
However, Beast looked past those disruptions.
At first, he thought the boy's eyes were simply a lighter shade of green. At a closer look, he saw their true colors; yellow, green, and a cool blue undertone.
Stunning earthly colors. Thick dark rings surrounded the irises.
Waves of clear green floated inside them.
A spread of golden webs decorated their center, surrounding a big black pupil.
A strong black hole in the middle and a captivating nebula of galaxies and stars trapped Beast's soul within them.
Those angelic eyes were cool and warm at the same time, clear and delicate, allowing Beast to see right through them and gaze deep into the boy's soul. Under this light, the irises looked so clear like water, yet greener like a meadow in spring.
They were beautiful, just as he remembered them.
With a little lopsided grin, Beast chuckled.
"Well, I'll be damned." He whispered, "Ned?"