Title: Beast
Author:
Pairing: Karomel
Rating: PG for this chapter
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or Disney
Summary: Once upon a time there was a boy named Kurt. But everybody in town called him Beauty.
A/N: Italics are lines taken from Disney's Beauty and the Beast with some slight modifications. Apologies to anyone who really likes Will, it's nothing personal, I like him too, I just needed a bad guy.

Chapter 1: In Which Beauty is Introduced

In a small village in France there lived a young man named Kurt, but very few people ever called him by that name. He had a surprisingly feminine face and voice for a boy and he had been teased with the nickname of 'Beauty' in the schoolyard. The boy had been too clever to be brought down by this childish teasing and to prove it didn't bother him, he began having his teachers and what few friends he had call him by the name as well. Even now, years after he had finished school, he was still called Beauty by most people who knew him.

It wasn't only his strange choice in nicknames that set Kurt apart from the other villagers. He also had this fascination with books that befuddled many of the villagers. Most of them had only ever read when it was required for school and once they were finished never picked up another book again. Kurt, on the other hand, was often found with his nose in a book.

Look there he goes, the boy who's so peculiar
I wonder if he's feeling well
With a dreamy, far off look
And his nose stuck in a book
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Kurt

Kurt just found stories so fascinating. When he was reading one, he would get so lost in the adventure and romance that he couldn't put the book down until it was finished. Then once he'd finished that book he found himself craving more until he had another book in his hand.

The fact was, Kurt wasn't really satisfied with his life. He was happy enough. In the morning he would help his father with his inventions and in the afternoon he would run errands in town. Everything was the just same day after day with nothing ever changing from his normal routine.

He wished he could escape from this world and into a different one that was filled with adventures and quests like the ones he read about. More than that, Kurt wished for one of the epic romances that he'd read about. He wanted to be swept away by his very own prince charming or knight in shining armor.

There wasn't anyone like that in the village. There was just stupid, arrogant men who wouldn't know romance if it smacked them upside the head. So, he read and slipped away into the beautiful, exciting world that the stories created.

Now, isn't this amazing
It's my favorite part because you see
Here's where she meets Prince Charming
But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three

Something out of the ordinary was happening today though. Kurt's father had taken one of his inventions to a fair in the next town and had left Kurt at home. It was the first time Kurt had been left at home on his own.

Kurt had found the idea of 'living on his own' exciting at first, but it wasn't all that different Kurt realized as he moved aimlessly from room to room. The house was lot quieter without the sound of his father's tinkering in the basement and dinner would probably be boring without anyone to talk to, but other than that nothing had really changed.

Kurt was just going though the books on his shelves, trying to decide which one he wanted to reread, when he heard a knock at the front door. Far too excited at the thought of company, Kurt rushed to open the door, only to feel his excitement rush out of him in a sigh when he saw who it was.

"Will, to what do I owe this surprise?" Kurt asked, wondering what would be the fastest way to get rid of this nuisance without being rude. There was nothing wrong with Will, per say, he just gave Kurt the creeps with his posturing and his smug voice. And Kurt had it on good authority that Will didn't like books.

"Beauty, my darling," Will said, in such a way that Kurt could practically feel the slime dripping off his nickname. "I have a proposition for you. Or perhaps, proposal would be a better word in this instance."

Alarms began to go off in Kurt's head when he heard those words and he began to subtly lean into the door so he could slam it in Will's face really fast should the need arise.

"Oh, what's that?" Kurt asked, trying to remain as calm as possible.

"I have decided it's time for me to settle down, and after taking into consideration everyone in the village, I have decided that you shall be the one I marry," Will said, with such an air as if to imply he was giving Kurt an amazing gift.

Kurt blinked before saying, "No, thank you," and moving to close the door, only to be stopped by Will.

"I'm sure this is a tremendous shock. I'm sure you're wondering how you could possibly deserve such an honor and perhaps you are concerned that you will be unable to live up the expectations. But let me assure, that I have every confidence that you will." He then had the audacity to place a hand over Kurt's bottom.

Kurt was so shocked at such an advance that he couldn't say anything, just pushed Will away as hard as he could and slammed the door in his face. Through the heavy oak door he could faintly hear the sound of Will swearing as he stumbled down the steps.

Kurt waited for a few minutes and when all he heard was silence, he cautiously opened the door and looked around. When he didn't see Will right away he stepped outside to make absolutely sure that the coast was clear.

"Is he gone," Kurt asked one of the chickens pecking in the yard, simply because there was no one else to ask. Once he was satisfied that Will had indeed left, he stomped out into the yard, fuelled by his righteous anger.

"Can you imagine?" Kurt huffed. "He asked me to marry him. Me, married to that boorish, brainless…"

Madame Shuester, can't you just see it?
Madame Shuester, his little wife
No sir, not me, I guarantee it
I want much more than this provincial life
I want adventure in the great wide somewhere
I want it more then I can tell
And for once it might be grand
To have someone understand
I want so much more than they've got planned

Kurt sighed, his anger dissipating and leaving him feeling empty inside. What if Will was the closest he ever got to romance? Was he going to be forced to spend the rest of his days alone, never knowing what it was like to be truly loved by another human being?