Gaston caught up to the mob just as they arrived at the castle. The once-blue sky was red with flames as the townspeople stormed to the front door.
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Gaston hid behind a tree, trying to figure out a plan. The mob thrust a tree trunk through the door, broke it and stampeded into the castle.
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He heard cheers, followed by yelps and squeals. Gaston jumped off the horse and ran to the entrance, peeking from behind the door.
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A light flashed before Gaston’s eyes as Lumiere lit a man’s bottom. Cogsworth pulled a woman’s long nose towards his pendulum and repeatedly smacked her with it.
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Lumiere and Cogsworth stood back to back as they continued attacking the intruders. Lumiere gave Cogsworth a wink, which made the pendulum slapping go even faster. Despite his embarrassment, Cogsworth gave Lumiere a smile with enough warmth to rival Lumiere’s lit candles.
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Mrs Potts and Chip poured tea onto the villagers. Madame de la Grande Bouche dropped from the top of the staircase and slammed onto a man’s back, all while belting out the highest note Gaston had ever heard.
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Gaston took the commotion as an opportunity to sneak up to the West Wing. If he could warn the Beast ahead of time, maybe things would work out.
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Before he could sigh in relief upon seeing the Beast’s face, he saw the Beast stepping backwards onto the balcony as a knife-wielding Lefou inched closer.
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‘How dare you take away my Gaston!’ He yelled, taking a step every few words. ‘You took him and… a-and changed him!’
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‘He changed me!’ the Beast retorted in the voice of someone about to cry. Euphoria bloomed in Gaston’s chest when he heard those loving words. This feeling disappeared when the Beast stood dangerously close to the balcony rail.
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Lefou snickered. ‘Did you really think someone like Gaston could ever care about an ugly monster like you?’
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Gaston picked up his bow and arrow, aiming them at Lefou. He took a deep breath but saw the Beast staring at him.
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He looked at Lefou, his longtime friend. He tried to will himself to shoot, but the sight of the Beast in danger made him unable to breathe properly for the shot. The arrow hit the balcony floor beside Lefou, who spun around. Loose strands of hair fell down Lefou’s face and the floppy bowtie around his neck was crooked. His teary eyes glistened like his knife in the moonlight.
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‘Don’t worry, my dear,’ Lefou said. ‘No need to kill this beast for me. I’ll do it for you.’
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Gaston pulled out a dagger, hoping it would somehow be easier to use on his target. ‘You little-’
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He lunged at Lefou, who slipped underneath him. Gaston’s unused momentum sent him running towards the Beast, knife still in hand. The Beast stepped to the side on instinct. Gaston saw the tops of the trees beneath him as he began to fall.
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His core went through whiplash when the Beast wrapped his arm around his torso. The Beast pulled Gaston back towards him and caressed his cheeks as if checking for injuries. The ends of his claws dug into Gaston’s cheeks ever so slightly, but his fur was soft against his skin. Gaston placed his hands atop the Beast’s to get him to soften the grip of his claws. He reached for his face and brushed his thumbs against the fur above his cheekbones. Their smiles were as soft as the Beast’s fur.
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The Beast roared in pain as his upper half curled backwards. Lefou pulled the knife from his back, a crazed yet hopeful smile on his face.
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Gaston picked up Lefou by his collar and held his dagger up to his face. Lefou was heavier than usual. He kicked the dagger out of Gaston’s hand, freeing himself from the distracted man’s grasp. He leapt off the roof onto an arcading. Gaston picked up his dagger.
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Lightning punctured the sky with strike after strike, momentarily lighting it before leaving it in darkness. During those flashes, Gaston could just barely see Lefou enough to follow him.
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‘You… monster!’ Gaston shouted as he pounced on Lefou, who had a broken castle piece in his hand like a club. Lefou swung the club in Gaston’s direction, hitting his shoulder. Although the club's top broke into pieces upon impact, Gaston only slightly winced as if the club weighed little more than a chestnut seed pod. Any other day he would be proud to be so impervious to attacks, but at this moment, all he could see was the red-tinged image of the man who attacked the Beast.
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Lefou held the club up to defend himself and Gaston tried to push it away. They engaged in a battle of pure strength with their hands tightly clutching the club. Eventually, Gaston won.
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He shoved Lefou down, ground his fist into his chest and raised his dagger-wielding hand into the sky. His chest heaved with each laboured breath.
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Lefou’s eyes were wide and his jaw was open. ‘I’m the monster? Look who you were just making kissy faces with! Did that beast make you go blind? If he hurt you, I swear to-’ Lefou screamed as Gaston lifted his arm in preparation to strike.
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‘No!’ The Beast roared, reaching his paw out into the sky.
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Gaston held the knife in the air with a shaking hand. He looked up at the Beast, slumped over the balcony with his hand reaching out to Gaston but being much too far away. Those blue eyes of his were full of so much suffering.
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Gaston dropped his dagger. He leaned in towards Lefou with a scowl. ‘Get. Out.’
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He then stood up and twisted his body towards the Beast. He took a few steps towards the balcony, hoping to climb up to him. Lefou had other plans.
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Lefou took the dagger and a step, hoping to stab him. ‘If you’re not mine, you’re no one else’s!’ he screeched. His foot rolled on the half-broken club beneath him, sending him falling backwards. Gaston reached out to him but it was too late. Lefou disappeared into the mist below like that vase Gaston had knocked off the balcony.
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Gaston stood there momentarily, trying to grasp what had just occurred. He resumed his task upon hearing a whimper of pain from the Beast.
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He climbed up the balcony and knelt by the Beast, hovering a hand over his back.
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His voice was hoarse with panic. ‘What do I do? I don’t know how to heal wounds! You can’t die on me! You just can’t!’ Tears escaped from Gaston’s eyes.
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The Beast rolled onto his back and rested his paw on Gaston’s cheek. His breaths were ragged and yet strangely serene. He grinned at him.
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‘Maybe it’s better this way. At least I got to see you one last time.’
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He dropped his paw and slowly closed his eyes.
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‘No, come on, stay with me! Beast!’ He slammed his fists on the Beast’s chest. ‘You can’t just leave me like this, you idiot! I…’
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The last rose petal began to fall.
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Gaston hesitated. Was he really going to say this? The words seemed so foreign coming out of the mouth of someone like him. It was like a child swearing or Belle saying yes to marriage. And yet, no words had ever rung so true.
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‘I love you!’
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Gaston saw a streak of red rising from the Beast and initially assumed the worst. But then an orange light shot up in the sky to meet it, followed by yellow, green, blue and violet. The streaks of light twisted around each other and transformed into two intertwined hands. Finally, an almost blindingly bright white light lifted the Beast off the ground, sending waves of wild wind outwards.
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The hairs on Gaston’s neck stood up as he watched with utter confusion. This was followed by fear when the light appeared to swallow the Beast.
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Parts of the light subsided, revealing legs and hands where there were once paws, luscious locks of auburn hair where there was once a mane and a handsome, clean-shaven face where there was once a furry beast.
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The light gently laid the man back on the floor of the balcony. Gaston’s hand stalled, but he eventually touched his face, stroking his fingers against the man’s strong jawline. He winced a little, unsure what to make of this unfamiliar face.
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The man opened his eyes and Gaston’s tight shoulders loosened. It was those same brilliant blue eyes he loved.
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‘It… it’s really you…’ Gaston whispered. The other man sat up. Gaston leapt forward and wrapped his arms around his waist in a bone-crushing hug. ‘You’re alive!’
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The man patted him on the back. ‘Okay, you can stop now.’ His voice was still deep, but not nearly as much as before.
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Gaston obliged but not without giving the man a light nudge in the shoulder with his fist.
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‘Don’t scare me like that, big guy. Why did you tell me to stop when I tried to attack Lefou?’
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The man twisted his head to the side at a low angle. ‘I… I didn’t want to see you take a human life.’ He looked back at Gaston with a smirk. ‘So… you love me, huh?’
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Gaston’s face went completely red. He spluttered, ‘That… th-that… Okay, fine. I love you. Happy now?’
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The man shrugged. ‘I’m not complaining. It saved me.’
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He put a smooth hand around Gaston’s cheek and leaned closer. ‘Wait,’ Gaston said. The man puckered his still-thick eyebrows in disappointment. ‘I can’t exactly call you Beast now, can I?’
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The man laughed. ‘Call me Adam.’
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‘Well, then, Adam, I love you. You better love me back after all this.’ Adam’s smile grew as he closed the gap between their lips. Gaston’s eyelashes fluttered at the contact. He felt as though he was the one being lifted by light. His heart danced around his chest in every direction. After a second of experiencing these sensations, he kissed him back.
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Gaston put his arms around Adam’s head and brushed his thumbs against his hair. Adam had his hands around his waist.
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When they finally stopped, Gaston’s lips tingled with electricity.
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‘Ah, l’amour is in the air!’
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In a perfectly synchronised motion, Gaston and Adam turned their heads towards the entrance to the balcony.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc80VKqzFZQ
