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Bright fuchsia eyes bore into his very soul. Keith would’ve punched the toy troll in its stuffed face if it wouldn’t have made him look like a complete moron. The fact that a couple dozen more surrounded it, multicolored eyes all zeroing in on him, didn’t help.
“Mommy! I want this one!” he heard a high-pitched voice plead before a little boy barreled past him to snatch one of the cursed things off of the shelf.
“Of course, honey,” the mother agreed absentmindedly, eyes trained on her phone. She reached a hand out blindly for her son to take before continuing down the aisle.
Keith rolled his eyes, resolving to never be such an inattentive parent… if he ever became a parent. He looked back up at the wall of toys looming menacingly over him. He could already see his mind flashing back to it if the question of adoption ever came up.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, the screen lighting up with a reminder of the party he was already running late to. He quickly dismissed the alert before resting his head defeatedly against the nearest shelf. If he was in a cartoon, he was certain there’d be a dark cloud hanging over him, warning passersby to steer clear.
Someone cleared their throat gently beside him. “Um, hey, excuse me? You look like you could use some help…”
Keith cocked his head to peer up at the owner of the smooth voice miserably, fully prepared to tell the worker off. He did not expect to find a ray of sunshine that easily broke past his thunderstorm.
The stranger was incredibly handsome, tall and hefty in all of the right places. His round face bore a pair of gentle honey eyes and a radiant smile that warmed Keith right to his core. His dark mahogany hair fell neatly about his face, held in place by an orange headband that contrasted beautifully with his dark skin.
Keith’s cheeks flushed a bright pink when he was caught staring. “Ah, y-yeah, I’m totally lost.”
The man chuckled, patting Keith’s back sympathetically. “Happens to the best of us. I remember having a near panic attack the first time I walked in here and got stared down by the Wall of Furbies. My girlfriend at the time had to walk me back out and calm me down.” He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
Girlfriend? Keith bit back the groan he wanted to make at the discovery. It was just his luck that this guy was straight. Even though there was no guarantee that he’d even be into someone like him if he was gay, Keith would’ve at least stood a better chance. Not that he’d walked into the toy store hoping to score a date in the first place.
“Anyway,” the stranger continued, offering a hand for Keith to shake. “I’m Hunk, and it’d be my pleasure to help you find whatever you’re looking for.”
‘You are most definitely a hunk,’ Keith almost replied, but he caught himself just before his treacherous mouth could utter the words. He grinned instead, shaking the man’s hand amicably. “Thank you, Hunk, I’d appreciate that. I’m Keith.”
“Keith,” he repeated with a nod, as if testing the name. Keith’s name sounded so much sweeter coming from those lips. He couldn’t recall it ever sounding that melodious from even his past lovers. As they drew their hands back, Hunk levelled him with a scrutinizing gaze. “So, what are you looking for?”
Keith bit his lip and shrugged embarrassedly. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t usually shop for kids.”
Hunk’s expression softened. “No problem. How old are they?”
“He’s turning four,” Keith stated confidently, already following his companion’s train of thought. “And he’s really into animals. He also likes to play with dolls, because his parents love to screw gender stereotypes.”
Hunk laughed at that, then gestured to the wall of demon creatures behind him. “Something tells me he won’t appreciate these, then. Here,” he draped his arm across Keith’s shoulders and steered him toward the end of the aisle, “how about we look for something more his speed?”
Keith ducked his head as a blush colored his cheeks again. Hunk’s hand dangled off of his shoulder, fingertips nearly brushing his elbow. Keith allowed himself to lean ever so slightly into the larger man’s embrace as he was directed toward an aisle of dolls and action figures.
Don’t get your hopes up, Keith, he reminded himself as they came to a stop, Hunk releasing him to stoop down and grab something off of a low shelf. He’s straight!
“Okay, I’m thinking he might like this animal shelter playset,” Hunk stated as he stood up again. He offered the large box to Keith, turning it over in his hands so he could see the different characters and amenities it offered.
There were two shelter workers and five different types of animals, from cats to snakes. The shelter itself was composed of a cleaning station, pet beds, a kitchen, and a front receptionist desk. There were also leashes, collars, and toys to use with the animals.
“It’s cute,” he mused, turning it back over to look at the front, “but I don’t think it’s right for him. He prefers wild animals…”
Hunk furrowed his brows, staring down at the box in Keith’s hands thoughtfully. Keith was torn between looking around at the other toys or studying his companion’s gorgeous face unabashedly. He settled for sneaking inconspicuous glances while scanning the shelves absently.
Suddenly, Hunk snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up. “Oh, I know something that would be perfect!”
He took the playset back and returned it to its shelf before gesturing for Keith to follow him deeper into the aisle. Keith forced himself to focus on where he was going and not how supple the other man’s ass and thighs looked in his jeans. Or the elaborate tattoos that decorated his arms in black ink. Or how tightly his sleeveless shirt wrapped around his round torso, accentuating every movement of his back muscles as they walked…
He’s straight you idiot! he berated himself, gritting his teeth to keep from voicing his complaints. His lack of attention nearly caused him to slam into Hunk’s side when the larger man paused abruptly.
“Sorry!” he winced, holding a hand out to steady Keith.
“N-No, I wasn’t paying attention!” Keith hurriedly dismissed, ducking his face to hide his flushed cheeks. He was grateful that Lance and Shiro hadn’t accompanied him; they’d never let him live down the amount of times he’d managed to blush within the last ten minutes.
“Oh, did you see something you like?” Hunk asked, gesturing to the shelves around them.
God, yes. Keith bit his lip and shook his head, offering an innocent smile that he hoped was convincing. “Just… looking. What did you have in mind?”
In response to his question, Hunk retrieved an even larger box from the shelves opposite them. Keith was incredibly impressed with how he managed to heft the enormous box from the shelf in the first place. When he set it down in front of him, it stood as tall as Keith’s mid-thigh, and stretched just as wide.
The first thing to catch Keith’s eyes was a safari caravan, complete with five dolls dressed as tourists, a driver, and a tour guide. A remote control sat propped against the car’s side, an arrow pointing to it reading, “IT ACTUALLY DRIVES!” Surrounding the vehicle were dozens of plains animals, including big cats, buffalo, antelope, and even meerkats.
“This is perfect!” Keith breathed, looking at the small pride of lions gathered just below a tree. He could already picture the look of awe on his godson’s face. “Oh my God, he would love this!”
Hunk chuckled, Keith belatedly realizing that it was because of his reaction. “Happy to help. The only problem is the price is a little–”
“Money’s no issue,” Keith interrupted with a small smirk. Being a CEO had its perks, and he took pride in his six-figure income. He wasn’t shy about flaunting it here and there…
Hunk’s grin widened as he laughed again. “That’s great, then! He’s a lucky kid, you know.”
“He deserves it,” Keith shrugged, an affectionate smile overtaking his features. “He’s a really bright kid, hard-working and honest, and he’s always looking to help people. This year he told his parents that he wanted to donate all of his old toys because he knew he’d be getting new ones for his birthday.”
Hunk’s expression mirrored his own as his hand clasped Keith’s shoulder. “That’s amazing. My niece and nephew are the same way, always wanting to do things for others. You have no idea how often I’m in here buying little rewards for them. My sister says I spoil them, but I think they earn every gift I give them.”
Keith nodded eagerly. He felt the exact same about his godson. The boy was far more deserving of spoils than many of the people he regularly employed. It was a shame that there weren’t more people like Hunk who recognized that.
His phone vibrated again, dragging him from his musings. He tugged it out of his back pocket and checked the screen. It was a text from Shiro, asking him if he was on his way.
“Shit, I have to go!” He typed a quick response to his best friend before turning back to Hunk. “Should I look for a cart to put this on?”
“No need.” Hunk easily hefted the box again, nodding toward the end of the aisle. “Lead the way!”
Keith wanted to offer some help, but he’d probably be more of a hinderance. Instead, he followed Hunk’s orders, shooing people out of their way as they maneuvered to the checkout lines.
The toy came up to $270 after added tax, hardly a scratch on his bank statement. Fortunately for him, the store offered gift-wrapping, the cashier dressing it up effortlessly right before their eyes. A worker offered to tow it out to his car for him, but Hunk waved him off, picking the box up again determinedly.
“That’s so sweet!” the cashier cooed, fanning herself. “I wish my man would do that!”
Keith opened his mouth to correct her, but Hunk laughed it off easily. “Can’t have chivalry dying, now can we?”
Keith pursed his lips as he blushed again, burying his face in his phone to hide it. He led Hunk wordlessly through the automatic doors of the toy store, nodding politely when the security guard wished them a good day.
Fortunately for Hunk he hadn’t parked very far. His cherry red Tesla Model S practically shimmered in the sun. Hunk whistled appreciatively as they stopped beside her.
Keith smirked, confidence restored as he unlocked the doors and opened the passenger’s side for the box. Hunk rested it onto the seat, making sure that it was secure before stepping back and shutting it in.
Keith reached for his wallet again when Hunk turned back to him. He deserved some compensation for helping his sorry ass find the perfect toy.
“What are you doing?” Hunk asked bemusedly, eyes flickering between Keith’s eyes and his wallet.
Keith pulled a few hundred dollar bills out in response, offering them to the larger man with a smile. “If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be staring down a wall of gremlins. This is the least I could do to show my appreciation.”
Hunk’s hands met his, closing Keith’s fist around the bills gently. “Keith, I didn’t do this expecting you to pay me.”
“I know!” Keith retorted defensively, retracting his hands. Hunk’s touch was warm and terribly distracting. “But I want to show some gratitude. You didn’t have to help me.”
Hunk rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. His expression seemed torn between exasperated and amused. “If you insist on repaying me, how does dinner sound?”
Keith furrowed his brows, mouth gaping stupidly. Did he just? Did he mean it like a…?
“Like a date?” Keith swallowed thickly around the words, afraid of the answer.
Hunk’s expression faltered, his cheeks darkening visibly. “I-I mean, I’d like it to be one, but if you aren’t comfortable with that, it doesn’t have to be… I just… the real reason I helped you is because I think you’re really attractive and you looked so lost and adorable…”
“Hunk.” Keith gently ceased his rambling, cupping his cheek. His heart was pounding so heavily that he feared it would beat out of his chest. “I would love to go on a date with you.”
Keith felt as though two suns were shining on him as Hunk’s face lit up again, a bright grin stretching his lips. He pulled Keith into a warm hug, the latter relaxing easily into the embrace. Hunk’s arms around him felt comforting and… right.
“How does next Friday evening sound?” Keith asked when they separated, hands still clasped together. He knew that he was mirroring the giddy grin that Hunk was giving him.
Hunk mentally ran through his schedule, wincing as he realized that Friday would not work for him. “I own a restaurant and we have a really important critic coming in Friday night… I’m free next Saturday, though!”
“Oooo, he can cook, too.” Keith winked, intrigue admittedly heightened. Hunk seemed like a man with many layers, and he hoped he could unravel them all. “Saturday works just fine.”
“Great! It’s a date,” Hunk beamed, releasing Keith’s hand to retrieve his phone from his pocket. “At the risk of sounding like a sixth grader, put your number in.”
Keith chuckled as he typed the digits in, putting a heart next to his name to give it the full effect. Hunk laughed when he saw it, tacking on a few more outlandish emojis to the new contact.
“There, now it’s just like we’re a couple of lovestruck middle schoolers,” he snickered. Keith could definitely get used to hearing that laugh more often.
Another text from Shiro reminded him of his prior engagement. Where are you? We don’t want to open presents or do the cake without you.
“Go!” Hunk urged, pushing him around to the driver’s side. “We’ll talk details later. You have a party to get to!”
Keith wanted to protest that he could be there in five minutes, but Hunk opened the door and levelled a challenging look at him. Raising his hands resignedly, he slipped into his car and started it, the engine purring familiarly beneath him.
Winding down the window, he leaned out and winked cheekily at Hunk. “Don’t forget to text me, handsome.”
Hunk snorted and put a hand on his hip. “Only if you swear you’ll text back.”
Keith’s stomach danced pleasantly with the potential of a relationship to come. He hadn’t been in one in years, but something about Hunk seemed to promise more than any of his past lovers could’ve offered.
“Please,” he drawled innocently, carefully pulling out of the spot. He offered a teasing smile to the handsome man who was already nestling into a place in his heart. “Chivalrous gentlemen are hard to come by these days! There’s no way I could ignore a nice guy like you.”
He watched Hunk poke his tongue out at him in his rearview mirror as he sped off. Lance and Shiro would wring his neck for being late, but as his phone lit up with a message from an unknown number, he was content in knowing it was worth it.