Main Street U.S.A.

Chapter 20

He was a beast. He should have never gotten so upset at Belle for leaving him at the party running after her friend who rushed out. But he couldn't help it. His temper got a hold of him as it always did and when she came by the office the next Monday he yelled at her. And by yelled he really meant screamed.

She didn't respond in the way he was used to by his subordinates, pleading or even crying (although if she started crying it would have immediately broken his own heart, he wouldn't have been able to handle her tears). Instead, she stared him down, much like she did when she had first met him, all those weeks ago.

"Mr. Bieste," she said coolly examining him as if he was the dirt beneath her feet. Belle had told him earlier that month that it took a lot to make her mad but when she did, it was not pretty. She had been referencing Mayor Frollo's inaction in regards to a new hospital being built in Disney, but he was smart enough to realize that he was witnessing the cold anger that she had warned about.

They had fought before. The night that changed everything (as Bieste called it) was started because of a fight between the two of them. He had frightened her then, but she wasn't angry.

This was angry Belle.

He had an inkling that he wasn't the only person she was mad at - she looked upset before she even walked into the room. Her eyes were narrowed and her usual smile was gone, replaced by a deep frown.

"I'm sorry that I abandoned you at the party that was later broken up by the police, but that does not mean you should scream at me so loudly that the entire floor can hear you!"

Any remnant of his anger dissipated and waves of embarrassment showed up instead. Both emotions made his face very red (even with the scarring) so he knew Belle wouldn't be able to discern the difference.

"That being said, I think we're done here. Thank you for keeping a hold of my blazer despite the inconvenience," Belle seethed. Her eyes were aimed at him like daggers, but despite that he felt a rush of affection towards her.

"Belle," he said, not entirely sure what he wanted to say.

Belle, who had already reached the door and was about to grab the handle and leave his office, turned around. She was frowning.

Damn it. He hated when he was wrong. Why did he almost always have to be wrong?

"You're right, I shouldn't have yelled at you about something so minor. Especially since it wasn't work related – I should have at least waited until we were done for the day," he tried a smile but stopped when he noticed she wasn't smiling back.

"Um, well, I'm trying to say I'm sorry," he finished, looking down at his desk, not feeling exactly up to the task of staring into Belle's menacing hazel eyes.

It was quite strange to think of her normally imaginative eyes as menacing but it was the truth. Hell hath no fury…

"It's not you who I'm mad at, not really." His hopes inflated and he peeked at her. Her face was scrunched up as if she was thinking about something far away, "Although, you definitely didn't help."

"I'm sorry," he repeated before he could help it. Belle laughed.

"It's all right. I suppose I forgive you," she teased, "Although, I think you should buy me a chocolate croissant before I actually forgive you."

Bieste broke into a smile and looked right into her hazel eyes, "That would be my pleasure."

The walk to the little coffee shop on third was quiet. Bieste could practically hear the thoughts buzzing off Belle despite the fact she wasn't speaking. He wondered what was upsetting her so badly, although, on another hand he was almost glad it was. He felt like he got off the hook for yelling at her. That temper of his was going to cause him to lose her as an employee and friend if he continued it.

And he wanted her to be both of those things so very badly.

She didn't speak until they reached their destination and even then it was just informing him what she wanted. He bought the chocolate croissant and handed it off to her then immediately shoved his hands into his pockets, unsure of what to say - if anything.

She smiled and gestured for him to follow her. Belle led him to a little table in the back of the shop.

"I think it's really nice that you provide a shop like this in here," she said before taking a huge bite out of her chocolate croissant. It didn't look like it would be able to fit in her mouth but it did. Belle patted her lips with a napkin and grinned closed-mouthed while chewing, somehow able to guess what he was thinking.

"Uh, well, I like to provide good things for my employees. They work very hard and I figured a coffee shop would be something nice for everyone."
Belle frowned, "You also have an entire cafeteria for your employees. Most employers wouldn't think to do that. A lot of employers don't even give substantial lunch breaks to their employees."

"Well," he shrugged, uncomfortable with her praise, "It didn't cost too much and I know Cogsworth will be on all the employees backs about work so I didn't think it could do any harm."

She watched him and he tried not to worry about what she thought of him, but he couldn't help it. Did she approve of him? Did she think he was a good employer?

They sat there observing each other in companionable silence, the only reason Bieste felt any awkwardness was because he was terrified of what she was thinking. But other than that he was content to just look at her.

It wasn't because she was beautiful (although no one could deny that) it was because she looked at him. Really, really looked at him as if he was a person not as a poor, scarred thing. Belle felt neither pity nor revulsion. She saw him as he was and that made him want to be better for her. Because he knew he was nothing wonderful. He knew he had anger problems and a tendency to snap without meaning anything he said. He loved that she was willing to go up against him.

So he looked back at her and watched as she munched on her chocolate croissant, hoping that she felt even a semblance of what he felt for her.
Belle finished the croissant and brushed the crumbs off her pantsuit. She hesitated and Bieste felt a need to grab her hand as if to tell her it was all right, but the feeling passed when she began to speak, "Meg and I got into a bit of an argument."

An image of a sarcastic woman in a purple dress came to Bieste. Meg was Belle's housemate and best friend and he had met her at the party. He vaguely remembered that she looked distressed when they had met but that she was smiling and teasing Belle about something. It had been hard to hear – the only thing he could really remember was that Belle excused herself to go search for Meg when Meg left their sight. And that he had to go back to his car… by himself after waiting for Belle for almost 40 minutes. He had been hoping for a few more tender moments with Belle but after Meg's appearance and disappearance it didn't happen, much to his disappointment.

"Oh?" he said, unsure of what else to say.

Belle smiled as if she was aware of his problem, but it disappeared as she started to speak again.

"Well, you see, the reason I'm so angry is that she said a lot of things that hurt me –"

"She hurt you?" he seethed.

Her eyes widened and she almost looked touched at his ferocity, "No, it's nothing I didn't deserve." She frowned and looked away from him, "That's why I'm angry. Because she was right."

"What?" That didn't sound right. Belle was almost always right.

She looked back up and smiled wryly at him, "I don't enjoy being wrong so I became upset. And despite the fact we both live in the same house I haven't really seen her since we took a cab home together after the party. Flashes of her here and there, but no conversation or anything meaningful."

"But she was mean to you?" Bieste grappled for something normal, something he could fix.

Belle grabbed his hand and looked him in the eye, "It's all right. I got it handled. I'm going to talk to her tonight." She frowned, "Or rather, I'm going to attempt to talk to her."

Bieste was having a hard time listening to Belle when all he wanted to do was look at their grasped hands. It had happened a few other times but it still boggled his mind that she'd be willing to do that. Only Mrs. Potts touched him nowadays.

She let go of his hand and got up from her seat, "I suppose it's back to work."

He followed her example and sprung up from his seat, "Yeah, off to work we go…"

They paced down the hall for a few moments. Belle glanced at the children's artwork that lined the walls with a smile. Lumiere had insisted on putting art that their employees' kids had made during a recent company picnic in the halls for a 'personal' touch. Bieste hadn't been too fond of the idea when it had been placed in front of him, but he was glad that he approved it now. Anything that made people and in particular, Belle, happy was a good thing. He spotted Chip's handiwork of a teacup and smiled.

Belle interrupted his thoughts, "Bieste?"

"Yes, Belle?"

"Thank you for listening to me. It means a lot."

He glanced back at Belle. Her eyes were aglow with something that gave him hope. So he smiled.

"It meant a lot to me too."

(A/N) Still sick but I had this written and I really wanted to just post it for you guys. I have only like two more chapters written out completely though so you guys might have a long wait until the next one. I'm trying to get up to chapter 25 written before I publish the chapter after this but we'll see.

I hope you enjoyed it and as always thank you for reading.