A/N: Originally featured in my story "The Final Chapter", this one shot takes place a little less than a year after the curse is lifted in the 2017 film.
"Chip! How many times must I tell you not to ride down the banister?" Mrs. Potts said with a tone of irritation. Chip was hardly aware of it as he slid down the last half of the banister and fell flat on his bottom right in front of his mother. "But mama, it's so fun!" Chip tried to explain his bad behavior away.
"That it may be, but it makes the banister lose it's nice shine, not to mention it hardly seems like the behavior of a gentleman. And we wouldn't want Sophie to think that you're not a gentleman now would we?" Mrs. Potts said knowingly.
Chip blushed and popped up to his feet, "I am a gentleman!" He insisted to his mother.
"You don't see your father or David riding down the banister do you?" Mrs. Potts pointed out. The two men were Chip's idols of perfect gentlemen.
Chip deflated a bit, looking down at his feet, "No..."
"Now Chip," Mrs. Potts knelt so she was eye level with her little boy. "That isn't to say that you can't still be a child. You're only nine years old, you still can have fun. But riding down the banisters is against the rules, and you know that. But if you would like to go into town to play hoops or jacks with Sophie, you're more than encouraged to."
This brought a smile onto the little boy's face. "I really can, mama?"
Mrs. Potts smiled, petting back her son's hair lovingly, "Yes, go run along."
"Woo hoo!" He cheered as he barreled to the front doors, not bothering to shut them as he ran like the wind to the village.
Mrs. Potts moved to the doorway of the castle, watching her son with a smile.
"He really is growing so fast."
Mrs. Potts jumped in surprise, turning to see Mr. Potts behind her. She laughed as she shut the door again. "Goodness, Jean, you gave me a fright."
He laughed softly, "I can see that."
"You always did have a tendency to sneak up on me and startle me." She said, remembering the days when they had been together.
Jean frowned sorrowfully, "I remember." And it was true, he did. But it was painful to think that for so long he'd been unable to do simple things like make his wife laugh. "I remember carrying Chip around on my shoulders too. It seems I've missed so much."
"No, Jean, don't do that to yourself." Mrs. Potts said softly, touching a hand to his stubbly jaw. "I know time has passed, but his memories under the curse are almost all sad ones. We may have had fun, but it was to mask a deeper sorrow. Don't think for a moment that he didn't ask about you all the time. He would always ask when we would see you again. I reminded him every day that his father loved him, and one day we would be with you again. And now we are. We can't waste the time we have left in this world regretting the lost time. We have to make up for it. We have to recreate those days in the sun my love."
Jean looked up at her lovingly, and gave her a sweet kiss. "Thank you, Angela. I don't know what I would do without you … well I suppose I do." The two of them laughed loud enough that it echoed in the large hall.
...
"Hullo Sophie." Chip said shyly, his hands behind his back as the door to her little cottage opened.
"Oh, hello Chip!" She said with a big smile. She was the same age as Chip and worked with her mother doing laundry in the village. Her mother had once been a debutante who had danced frequently at the Prince's balls, and had been one of the ones who had escaped on the night of the curse. They had no personal attachment to the castle, so the two remained in the quaint little town. When the spell had been broken she had met Chip when she had travelled up to the castle to see Belle. Belle had once spent an afternoon teaching Sophie to read, and Sophie had not forgotten it. She had been longing to read again and had sought Belle out for further reading lessons. And while she was there she had met Chip. And the two had immediately got along.
Chip thought that Sophie was a vision, even when she was only wearing her plain aprons and had her flat brown hair pulled back in a tight bun like she did now. "Do you want to go out and play? Mama said I can come play with you awhile today."
"Let me ask," Sophie said, holding up her index finger for him to wait for her. She ran back into her little cottage, leaving the door ajar. Chip could still hear her as she asked her mother's permission.
"Mama, may I go out and play with Chip?"
"Well, the laundry isn't quite done being put on the line."
"Please mother?"
There was a pause before she finally said, "Alright, be back before sunset please."
"Thank you mama!" The girl cheered before barrelling out of the door and almost knocking Chip over. "C'mon Chip, keep up!" She cried out as she raced down the cobblestone street. Chip did his best to keep up with her, and he managed well, but somehow she always edged out ahead of him.
Sophie lead them to the little field of dandelions just outside of town. This was her favorite place to go. She loved dandelions, and refused to believe they were weeds. She thought they were just humble flowers. Sophie spun in a circle among the dandelions, laughing to herself. Chip just watched her, sitting on the ground. She always did this when they went to play here. She needed a moment to just inhale the air and soak in the beauty of the little area before she could come back down from the clouds and remember Chip was there.
"What should we do today, Chip?" She asked as she finally sat down among the weeds, sitting a few feet away from her friend.
"We could play house?"
"No, that's no fun with only two people. And the other boys are still in school, and most of the mothers won't let their daughters stop working until dinner." The town hadn't changed as radically as some had suspected it would after the curse.
"Clouds?"
Sophie looked at the sky and said, "Nope, no clouds to see."
Chip sat in thought for a moment before Sophie chimed in, "What if we play curse?"
"Curse?"
"Yeah, we can play out the curse."
"How?"
"Easy," Sophie said, sitting up again as she thought it all out in rapid fire in her head. "I can pretend I'm Belle and you can pretend to be Prince David!"
Chip thought quietly before saying, "I suppose."
"After all, you were in the castle. You know what he was like!"
"He was not nice though." Chip said, "I'd have to be rude to you, at least at first."
"I know that, but it'll be pretend. I'll know it's not Chip being rude to Sophie, it'll be the Beast being rude to Belle. And I can be as brave as Belle and take none of it." She was beyond excited to pretend to be her favorite person. She idolized Belle like none other. And she was almost jealous of the adventure that Belle got to have. Sophie wanted an adventure of her own so badly, but for now she would settle for making an adventure.
"Alright, where do we start then? When Belle comes to the castle?" Chip asked, standing now as well. "Wait, how do I look like the beast? I don't look like the beast at all." Sophie paused and stared at him a long time before saying, "I got it!" She ran over to a small creek that cut through the corner of her field and waved for Chip to follow. She sat on the grass and dipped her hands in the water and ran them through Chip's hair. The dark brown strands clung together and stuck up in odd angles. She messed the hair up with one eye squinted in concentration. "Okay, perfect!"
Chip looked down at his reflection in the water and laughed. "I kind of do look like the beast."
"That's the idea silly. And yes, we'll start when the beast locks Belle up in the tower."
"What will act as our cell?"
Sophie looked around and pointed at a tree on the other side of the creek. The two jumped over the creek as Sophie explained, "The tree will be our tower, and I can climb to the first branch, and that'll be like my cell."
"Okay!" Chip agreed, finally getting excited at their little play.
"Ready?" Sophie asked. Chip nodded. "Oh wait, one second." She said. She plucked an especially long dandelion out from the ground and then said, "Okay, okay, I'm ready."
There was a pause, and Chip wasn't sure who was supposed to talk first. They had no script!
"Oh papa!" Sophie said, holding up her dandelion, "Are you hurt? I'll get you out of here!"
Chip stomped around and roared a bit. "Nooooo, he stole my rose! He's a thief!"
"No he isn't! How rude of you." Sophie said, over exaggerating the emotion.
"He must stay in this tower forever for what he did!" Chip said, trying to make his voice sound deeper and failing terribly.
"Can't I at least say goodbye?"
Chip grumbled like he had heard the prince do in his cursed form so many times, "Fiiiiine." He whined, turning around and stomping a few paces away.
"Bye bye papa. Don't worry about me! I'll escape eventually!" She cried, throwing the dandelion over her shoulder and climbing up to the first branch of the tree with ease. Chip still had his back turned to Sophie. She giggled and broke character, "Chip, chip! Turn around!"
"Oh, sorry." He turned around and looked up at her in the tree, sticking out his chest to make himself look bigger. "You chose to take his place?"
"Yes I did!" Sophie said melodramatically.
"Well fine then, have fun stuck in here forever!" He stomped away again. "End scene!" He cried.
"Nooo, Lumiere let's her out! That's important." She said from up in the tree.
"But I'm not Lumiere."
"You can switch roles." Sophie insisted.
"But my hair's all messed up, I won't look like Lumiere, I'll look like the beast."
"That's fine." Sophie insisted, "I'll know who you're playing." She waved her hand, gesturing for him to keep going through the scene.
Chip shrugged nonchalantly and walked up to the tree, putting on his thickest accent he could muster, "Mademoiselle, here let me help you out of that tree! I mean, cell."
"Ah! A talking candle!" Sophie pointed.
"I'm a candelabra!" Chip perfectly imitated Lumiere. He had heard him say it many times to Cogsworth, who deliberately called him a candle to rile him up from time to time.
"Oh, sorry. But, still, you're talking. Why are you talking?"
"A long story, mademoiselle. I will tell you later. But first, I must show you to your room, and get you out of this cell." Chip paused. "Uh, Sophie, how am I supposed to open the door if you're in a tree?"
Sophie hummed in thought, trying to solve the problem. "Just knock on the bark. It's not the same, but it's good enough."
Chip knocked on the bark hesitantly. Sophie jumped out of the tree, landing solidly on her feet. They stung a little but she didn't acknowledge it, after all, she was in character. "Why thank you Mr. Candelabra!"
"You can call me Lumiere. At your service." Chip bowed graciously.
Sophie giggled, "End scene!"
"Did I make a good Lumiere and beast?" Chip asked, smiling wide, his chipped tooth showing.
Sophie nodded happily, "Yes, you are a wonderful actor, Chip. Was I a good Belle?"
"Of course! You remind me a bit of her anyway, so it works well for you." Chip said.
Sophie smiled wide, "I remind you of Belle?"
"In a way," Chip said, eager to make the girl so happy, "You're smart like her, and you seem happiest when you're in the outdoors or a library." He usually sat in on the reading lessons with Belle and Sophie, and both girls were always blissfully hapay amongst the books.
Sophie nodded, giggling a bit, "That's true. I want to be just like Belle when I grow up."
"Oh I don't know about that."
"Why?" Sophie said, sounding borderline offended.
Chip stumbled over his words, "Oh, n-no. I don't mean to say Belle isn't a great person. You know I love her. She's the auntie I never had. But you shouldn't be just like her. You're different in your own way. Like how you like to play like we do, imagining. Or how you like to make your own clothes." This was only partly true, but Chip didn't know that it was Sophie's mother that structured the clothes and Sophie that stitched in small designs into them. "So you can't be just like her. You can only be like you I guess. And I like you, so there's nothing wrong with being you." Chip's ears were turning bright red.
Sophie thought about what he said, not noticing how red the poor boy was becoming. "I suppose you're right." She glanced away from him and noticed that the sun was already careening toward the horizon. "Oh, shoot. I really wanted to keep playing Curse."
Chip matched her frown, sad to have to say goodbye to her. "Can I walk you home, Sophie?" He asked politely. She nodded and the two made a show out of her taking his arm like a lady and gentleman would.
The two walked back into the village, talking about how they would keep playing the game tomorrow if they could. Chip suggested that after their reading lesson tomorrow afternoon they could meet in the grand hall and play around the castle, playing out more scenes together. They finally reached her cottage and he hugged her goodbye before walking with a noticeable sulk back up to the castle.
...
"Chip, time for bed." Mr. Potts said, leaning into the child's bedroom where he had been doodling on some scraps of paper. "What are you drawing?" He asked softly, stepping into the room and sitting down beside his son. Chip shrugged, "It doesn't look that good, but I tried to draw Sophie." He said, showing the drawing to his dad. Of course, it really wasn't that good, but it was far better than the stick figures that Jean could have drawn. Neither he or Angela had been gifted with the ability to draw. They hadn't the slightest idea where Chip had gotten the desire to be artistic from.
"You really like Sophie don't you Chip?" Mr. Potts tentatively asked, wanting to know more about it but trying not to make it obvious that he was prying a bit.
"Yeah, she's nice." Chip said simply.
"Is she coming to play tomorrow?" He asked. Belle always gave Sophie and Chip a reading lesson on Saturday afternoons, and usually they would play after their lesson. Belle was gracious enough to even teach Chip, although he seemed more interested in picture books for the illustrations.
"Yes, we're going to play Curse."
Jean looked at his son with a puzzled expression, "What might that be?" His parental concern was coming up with terrifying possibilities.
Chip looked up at his father, "Oh don't worry papa. We pretend we're Belle and David during the curse. We played it today and I pretended to lock her up in the tower. It's kind of fun."
"Oh!" Mr. Potts laughed, "That does sound fun. But, regardless, it's bedtime now. Let's go, Chip." Chip sighed and left his drawings on his little table and wandered over to his bed, crawling into the sheets. Mr. Potts tucked him in, still remember how to do it from the days before the curse. He kissed his son on the forehead and whispered, "Good night Chip, I love you."
"Love you too papa." He said softly before rolling over to snuggle into his bed. Jean Potts smiled as he closed the bedroom door behind him. He headed just down the hall to his own bedroom, where Mrs. Potts was already sitting in her night gown in bed reading a book.
"Did he go to bed alright?" She asked as her husband entered the room.
"Oh, sure. No fuss. I think he's still in a daze from being with his little crush today." Jean smiled as he changed into his pajamas and got into bed.
Mrs. Potts laughed softly, putting a bookmark in her book and putting it on the nightstand. "Well, that's no surprise. He's been so fond of that girl ever since they met. What were they off doing today?"
"Oh playing a game they call 'curse'. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as it sounds. They're just reenacting the story of the prince and Belle is all." Mr. Potts yawned as he turned off his light and got cozy in the bed.
Angela laughed, "Oh of course they are. Those two lovebirds will figure it out some day, though probably not for a few years at least." She said as she too turned off the light and laid down for bed. A few minutes of silence passed as the two laid, waiting for sleep to come to them. Then suddenly Angela sat up and shouted, "Oh! I just got a marvelous idea!"
"I was half asleep," Jean whined pitifully.
"We should set up the ballroom for them just as we did for David and Belle! Wouldn't that be just precious? Oh, we could even get Madame Garderobe to dress them up in her finest. Wouldn't that be a sight?"
"Yes, yes, splendid." Jean said, still not totally conscious like his wife was.
"Oh, you wait and see. You'll love it, Jean." She said, lying back down and finally falling asleep beside her husband.
…
"Chip, when you guys are done be sure to head down to the ballroom for a little lunch." Mrs. Potts said as she carried her little boy into the library and dropped him off in front of Belle.
"Okay mama," Chip said, kissing his mother's cheek before plopping down in front of Belle, who was sitting in a large arm chair. Sophie was already waiting there patiently, chatting with Belle about how she had read and reread the book that Belle had sent home with her last time. "So, what should we read today?" Belle asked them both. Chip didn't say anything, he simply looked at Sophie to decide. She looked around the library and wandered a bit, looking at all of the spines. She finally selected a book and walked it back to Belle, who smiled as it was put in her hands. "A good choice, Sophie. The story of Little Red Riding Hood."
Sophie and Chip sat in front of her as she opened the book and held it out in front of him. Sophie soaked up every word, while Chip looked at the images. The red, red hood on the little girl fascinated him. He heard the stories on some level, but he was mostly absorbed in the images. He wanted to draw Little Red Riding Hood. For both of the kids, they were able to lose themselves in the world of the story. When the final page was read, and the book closed, both kids looked up at Belle in amazement. "I like that story." Sophie said with a little grin.
"I'm glad. Now, you take that home with you Sophie and practice reading it with your mother. Then I want you to read it to me next week when we meet again, okay?" Belle asked her sweetly, handing her the book. Sophie took it graciously. "I will." She promised.
"And Chip, I want to see whatever you draw after having heard this story." Belle said with a knowing smile. "But in the meantime: Sophie, Madame Garderobe would love to meet you. Do you want to go and say hello?" Sophie nodded. She probably would have agreed with anything that Belle said. Belle took Sophie's hand and headed for the door to go down the hall to Madame Garderobe suite. Belle glanced over her shoulder at Chip, "Wait here Chip,"
As the girls left Chip sitting in the library, Chip looked around sullenly. He didn't know why he was being made to sit here and wait. Why couldn't he go back to his room and draw while he waited for Sophie? He just wanted to go out in the gardens and play Curse with her.
His father and David walked in then. David had his hands behind his back. "Do you want to go down to lunch with Sophie, Chip?" Jean Potts asked with a little smile.
"Y-yes?" Chip said tentatively. "Why is everyone acting so strange?"
"No reason." David said. "We just want to make sure that if you are to go to lunch with Sophie you look like the gentleman you are."
"A gentleman? You think I'm a gentleman?" Chip said, grinning from ear to ear.
David nodded, "Of course. You're a far better gentleman than I was at your age. Trust me." Chip was aglow with pride. His idol had called him a gentleman. "Now, as I said, if you are to look like a gentleman…" He pulled a small little suit out from behind his back that he had been holding onto. It was clearly a work of Madame Garderobe.
"Would you like to put it on, Chip?" His father asked.
Chip made a curious expression as he thought. His father had to stop from laughing at his son's adorable face. "Yes, I would like to wear this."
Once the boy had dressed in a suit oddly similar to one of David's, his father told him to head to the ballroom for a spot of lunch. But Chip knew too well that they did not eat in the ballroom. His father gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before David escorted Chip to one of the staircases that lead into the ballroom. "Why are we…"
"Well, a little birdie told me that you and Sophie have been imagining you were Belle and I when we were all still under the curse. So your mother thought it might be fun to recreate it." He nodded toward Mrs. Potts who was standing in the corner of the ballroom by the piano with Maestro Cadenza. This was the ballroom dance! Chip suddenly got very anxious, "But David,"
He started to say but the prince rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're going to be fine Chip. The quickest way to a girl's heart is by being yourself and letting her be herself. Trust me." He assured him. Chip looked up at the prince, taking a deep breath, "I'll do my best."
"That's all you can do." David said sweetly. He considered Chip just another part of his extended family in the castle. He was like the nephew he never had.
Sophie and Belle appeared at the other staircase across from them. Sophie was in a tiny version of Belle's dress, but instead of a bright yellow her dress was a soft pink. Belle and David exchanged a glance and tried not to laugh. The kids looked at each other and smiled shyly as the Maestro started to play the song. The two walked down the staircase and met in the middle. Chip held out his arm and she took it graciously as they stepped down into the ballroom.
They faced each other as his mother started to sing for them in time to the music. It was both awkward and precious at the same time.
Sophie took initiative, "Here, I think it's like this." She took his hand and put it on her waist and held his other hand in hers, letting her left hand fall on his shoulder.
"I have no idea how to dance." Chip admitted with a bright blush.
"Neither do I. But that's okay." She said with a little laugh, leading them in a makeshift dance. They stepped on each other toes multiple times, but instead of being embarrassed the two of them would just laugh. But as they danced, Chip smiled sweetly at her.
"Sophie you look really pretty." Chip said kindly, his blush still ever present.
Sophie's ears turned red to match, "Thank you, Chip. You look rather dashing yourself."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know, but I read it in a book once." Sophie admitted. "I think it must mean handsome. And you certainly look handsome."
Chip smiled softly, "Thank you Sophie." They stumbled about the ballroom, going in small circles, "Can I try to spin you? I've always wanted to do that." He asked politely.
"Oh, yes! I've always wanted to be spun!" She said with delight. They both stopped dancing long enough for Chip to spin her around. They both giggled and Sophie then took her turn to spin Chip around. They resumed their previous dancing, both of them listening to the sound of Mrs. Potts' beautiful singing. As the song came to its conclusion, the children spun into the middle of the room, giggling all the way.
"Why thank you, noble Prince," Sophie said, letting go of Chip and curtsying.
"And thank you, Princess." He bowed humbly.
Many Years Later
Chip took Sophie's hand in his and smiled at her softly. She glanced up at him from her book. "What's the look for?"
"Nothing, just remembering that first dance."
"Oh, Chip." She laughed, squeezing his hand gently, "You're such a hopeless romantic."
"I know, I know." Chip admitted. "But I can't help it. You're easy to be in love with, even after all these years."
Sophie pushed back a lock of silver hair behind her ear, smiling kindly at him. She had long ago stopped trying to top his declarations of love. He was far better at expressing his love for her than she was. She preferred to spend days writing a piece of love poetry for him. She could not improvise a work of love. She had to mull it over before delivering it in a carefully folded note. But whenever she felt the urge, she could at least say the only words that mattered.
"I love you."