Laurent's fingers closed around the ring, and he curled his arm in, holding it protectively to his chest, just over his pounding heart. He stood in the doorway, watching the darkness, for a long time. He wanted to go after Gansey, to make him stay, to beg or threaten, anything to have him back.

Having made his grand gesture, Laurent regretted it. He'd thought, in the moment, that the worst would be the necessity of trust, the fear that Gansey would betray him. Instead, immediately, it was the missing Gansey that hurt most. His heart felt like it had been torn from his chest, and he felt half mad with yearning to have Gansey back with him.

At last, starting to shiver in the night air and knowing that dawn was approaching, Laurent shut and locked the door.

He retired to the library, laying down on the couch where Gansey had slept. Turning the ring over and over in his hand, he studied the sigil, remembering the feeling of Gansey's lips against his hand.

Gansey wouldn't come back. Gansey would betray him.

Agonized with longing and dread, Laurent stayed for hours upon the couch, sleeping fitfully. He felt no desire to eat or to stir from the couch, mourning the loss of the first person he'd truly cared about.