Chapter Text
It wasn’t hard to see that LeFou took Gaston's death quite hard. The smile that seemed ever present had faded away into a sort of permanently sullen expression that no one seemed to be able to remove.
Tom and Dick had tried a few times to bring a ghost of a smile back to LeFou’s face, and they had even attempted to rouse him into some sort of silly song. However, none of their efforts seemed to work. It was about a week after the fall that Stanley returned to Villeneuve. He had been reunited with his family after years of believing they had died of disease or that they were a casualty of a Portuguese raid. No, instead they’d been turned into a harpsichord, a wardrobe, a feather duster, and he’d been surprised to discover that the family dog had become a foot stool. He was so looking forward to bringing this up to Tom and Dick over a pint, but he also wanted to tell LeFou about how lovely it was to see his family again after all these years. No one in Villeneuve knew about LeFou’s past or how he came to live there; however, they knew that once he arrived there his stay was far from pleasant.
Stanley recalled that the first time he met LeFou it was in the tavern shortly before Tom, Dick, Gaston, and LeFou were all to head off to war. If he remembered correctly, that was just a year or two after the castle inhabitants were transformed. Stanley couldn’t help but smile when he remembered that LeFou wasn’t always as boisterous as he appeared to the rest of the world. In fact, Stanley was sort of surprised to find that LeFou was extremely quiet when he was removed from the tavern and Gaston. But, Stanley also noticed that LeFou seemed more in his element either singing in front of a crowd or completely silent in his own company. Stanley observed that, with LeFou, LeFou either talked all the time or not at all. There wasn't really a "happy medium" so to speak.
So, Stanley wasn’t overly surprised to see only Tom and Dick waiting to intercept him when he came home. He gave them a smile, but they weren’t exactly the person Stanley was hoping to see.
“Okay, so your mom’s punishment wasn’t as bad as we made it out to be. We should have stuck around to meet her.” Tom clapped Stanley on the shoulder. “After all, she made a pretty good kid!”
Dick just laughed and ruffled his hair. “Let’s get you upstairs. Tom and I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Stanley quirked an eyebrow, but he followed them anyway.
The other two men sat Stanley down on a chair.
“So, there’s not really an easy way to put this Stan,” Tom started, “But, we think you ought to … you know … talk to LeFou. He barely leaves his house anymore. We’ve tried ruffing him up and joking around with him, but he doesn’t really talk.”
“He never really did though. He puts on a good show, but he doesn’t really like to, you know, be in a crowd unless the crowd is a captive audience for his music.” Stanley couldn't tell if he liked where this conversation was going.
“Yeah, kid, but that’s the thing. He doesn’t sing anymore either. Tom and I tried following him around once just to see if he hummed under his breath at all like he used to, and he just doesn’t.” Dick tried to make Stanley understand, and Dick thought he did based on the look on Stanley’s face.
“Nothing at all? Like at all, at all?” Stanley asked quietly fear creeping up on his voice.
“Not a peep,” Tom and Dick said almost in unison.
Stanley resolved within himself to do something about this, though, he was not entirely sure what.
The next morning Stanley saw LeFou in the market place, and Stanley walked up to him a big smile crossing his face.
“Hello, my friend!” Stanley offered him a quick bise on each cheek which LeFou returned. “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” LeFou’s answer was guarded.
“Ah … I see. Well, I would like to spend the afternoon with you. What do you say?” Stanley gave LeFou’s shoulder a squeeze.
“Sure.” LeFou gave him a noncommittal shrug, but he attempted to smile at Stanley all the same.
Stanley couldn’t help but notice that the smile didn’t reach LeFou’s eyes like it usually would. Stanley resolved to make LeFou's smile return to his eyes if it was the last thing Stanley did.
The pair walked around Villeneuve for the better part of the day, but Stanley noticed no change in LeFou’s demeanor. He was sort of saddened by this because he missed LeFou’s smile and laugh.
The last place they stopped was the flower stand, and LeFou looked at it with some intensity.
Stanley turned around and LeFou was just gone, and, naturally, Stanley started to panic. He couldn’t believe he’d lost LeFou in the small crowd, and Stanley’s mind went to dark places considering what had happened with Gaston and to Gaston.
Stanley felt a tap on his shoulder, and he spun around to see LeFou holding a bouquet of irises.
“They bring out your eyes,” LeFou whispered.
Stanley blinked in surprise. The phrase was the first thing Lefou had said all day that was more than two words.
“I hope you like them.” LeFou tried to make his voice a little louder.
“I love them!” Stanley smiled and laughed.
“Share them with your family for me?” LeFou’s voice was hopeful.
“Come with me next time I go, and we’ll show Maman together!” Stanley grinned wildly.
“I’m allowed?” LeFou’s face split into a small smile.
“Of course you are! Maman, would love to meet you. Belle even told me she'd love to teach you to read, and Mrs. Potts is asking after you.” Stanley took the bouquet in one hand and and LeFou’s hand in his other.
A real smile crossed LeFou’s features, and Stanley discovered, in that moment, that LeFou’s smile might be the only thing in the world he ever wanted to see.
After all, it brought out his eyes.