Show Me the Beast

~Part 1~

 There was a certain attraction he held. A crush he could tell no one of, not even his best friend. It was unfortunate that his childhood friend had figured it out so quickly. The girl was too intelligent for her own good. That's why he had chased her so hard. He'd wanted to escape from the one way he would seem weak to others. The thing that would turn them all against him. He couldn't handle it and that was the problem.

That's why he was so adamant to marry Belle. It seemed like that would solve all of his problems. With everything. His father wouldn't think he was a failure and the attraction he once felt for his best friend would disappear. But Belle had known from the start and refused to marry him just because she refused to be a part of the destruction of LeFou's feelings. Ever the humanitarian in our old friend group.

Not that any of this mattered now. They all thought I had died. That stupid Beast had made me lose my balance and I had fallen from his castle's roof after I had gotten a couple good shots at him. I should have died but when the curse had been lifted and the castle had repaired itself, it had repaired my body along with it. Apparently the magic still had reason to keep me alive for a little longer.

I was acutely aware of the pain leaving my body. My physical injuries departing from my entire being. Inside I could still feel the emotional pain settling in. Belle and her man had finally gotten me to face the facts. And I had to come to near death to accept it.

I love LeFou.

And all I could think about was getting back to him so that we could continue our lives together. But this time we'd actually do things together. I smirked at the thought of what those things would be.

Anticipation and excitement got me to my feet and made me stalk back to the castle. The journey took far longer than it should have. Though my physical injuries were gone, I was actually exhausted as if I was holed up with an ailment that had me in bed for weeks. Finally I made it to the front gate and let myself in.

Once in the gardens, I could make my way casually through them to the side of the palace where I would look in and see my gorgeous LeFou, perfect as always. I would observe for a while before I made an actual move. When I finally made it to one of the ornate windows and peeked my head in to watch, I was shocked.

LeFou. My LeFou, was in the arms of Stanley. The local guy known for being too feminine, even by LeFou's standards on a normal basis. And LeFou was smiling at him. They were smiling at each other and enjoying one another's company. I punched through the window, startling all the guests and bloodying my hand in the process. Heads turned to me as I walked off to the side, away from the activity.

I couldn't believe that after I'd had a change of heart, he'd betrayed me. I couldn't stand for this. I wouldn't stand for this. A voice stopped me before I could leave through the gate to the palace. It was filled with malice and hatred.

"Why are you back?" A growl escaped parted lips as soft footfalls came up beside that voice. I turned slowly, my eyes displaying a crazed look that I thought only my father could ever demonstrate. Belle was stood next to Adam, her eyes frightened, though because of which Beast I couldn't say.

"I'm not here for your little mouse, if that's what you're worried about." I gestured to Belle with my shoulder and he growled at me, getting ready to approach and kill me for calling Belle anything other than her name.

"Calm down Adam, it's alright." Belle tried to comfort her all too distressed Beast of a man. His eyes had a wild look in them and she was frightened that if she didn't step in, something horrible would happen once more. She didn't know why she felt a difference in Gaston's behavior, but she did and it was the thing that was holding her from being cruel to the man who all but deserved her cruelty.

"Alright? . . . Alright?! . . . He killed me!" Adam was quick to point the finger at me and I couldn't help but falter under his accusation. It was true and it made me wilt a little where I stood in my tarnished black boots.

"I'd call it even, you killed me." I spoke evenly, almost challenging without the challenge. It was a pleasant return to some form of normalcy, even if it wasn't the attention from my sidekick that I required and wished for. Thinking of LeFou made me want to cry, but I wouldn't because I was stronger than my tears.

"Then how the hell are you alive?"

"Something I suppose I should thank your little love story for. Undoing that curse fixed the palace and me apparently. Though I probably deserved to die, what with all the lies and obsessive fronts I had to constantly show to others." I admitted. Belle's face was overtaken by a look of shock that she almost never wore.

"So you've finally accepted it?" She asked, her eyes searching mine for a non verbal answer. I nodded at her before I spoke in a melancholy voice.

"Unfortunately. It's too late though."

"What? Why?" Belle asked in surprise.

"Ask the village man-whore." I spoke, knowing my words would make everything evident to the village genius. She just gave me a look for a moment before she whispered to me in a quiet voice.

"You saw Stanley, didn't you?"

"I did." I don't know why I couldn't hide this from her. It was almost as degrading to witness as the tears that began to leak down my face. At that moment all I could manage to do was keep the sobs at bay and try to keep my shuddering to a minimum.

"But that was because... Well, ya see... Oh... Gaston, you are such a fool!" Belle came forward and pulled me into a hug. Her body was warm and comforting, nothing like I'd imagined it to be if I was being completely honest. Adam seemed to get a little upset from where he stood, but he chose not to intervene.

"Master, the guests are in a bit of turmoil currently concerning the shattered window and there has been an unfortunate altercation between a couple of the guests." A stout man came over, a pocketwatch dangling from his fingertips. I remembered his voice from the fighting, though I couldn't tell you his name or what he was.

*Sorry, if there are any grammatical errors, I've been pressed for time recently but I still wanted to post this today. There will be at least one more part posted in the next couple days, happy reading."