Don't worry, I'm working on Jesse's story! And I am trying to move this story along, but there is still much to be developed. So, here's another shorter, sibling reminiscent chapter.
"Hey, where did my other biscuit go?" Lissa frowned in confusion. She was sharing lunch with Gaston inside the kitchen, as it was too cold to sit outside. She hadn't seen much of him lately, with his job, plus it made him so tired that now he often fell asleep in the middle of their conversations when she told him goodnight in his cell. "It was there a minute ago. At least I thought it was." Lissa groaned.
Gaston continued chewing and cleared his throat loudly. Lissa stared at him. He batted his eyes innocently. "Wait a minute." Lissa pursed her lips. She'd known that look for years, much too well. "You ate my biscuit, didn't you?"
"Do you see Jesse under the table? Maybe it was him." Gaston teased.
"Ha, ha, ha." Lissa shook her head. "I thought you outgrew that habit a long time ago."
"There are some parts of me that are still engrained." Gaston shrugged. Lissa pffted with her lips.
"Well, at least I'm too big now for one of your less brutal but equally effective methods of 'persuasion'." Lissa grinned, crossing her arms.
"Ugh!" Gaston rolled his eyes. "When are you ever going to stop using those big, fancy words? You know they go right over my head. What, you trying to sound grownup or something?"
"I am grownup." Lissa smiled.
"Don't rub it in." Gaston grimaced. "What exactly were you talking about anyway?"
"Maybe I better not even bring it up." Lissa said.
"You've baited me. Out with it." Gaston huffed.
Mr. Legume came inside the dining room. He asked if his children had done their chores. They announced that they had and their mother confirmed it. "Good." Mr. Legume said. "Lissie, hold out your hand." 8-year-old Lissa looked up at her father timidly. She was sure she hadn't crossed any lines today. "You don't have to look at me as if I'm a monster, child." Her father said.
"You're telling me." 13-year-old Gaston said under his breath, slouching in his chair.
"Gaston..." His mother warned him.
Lissa timidly obeyed her father. He smiled and placed in her hand a golden piece of currency. Lissa gaped at it, wide-eyed. Gaston rose to his feet. "Papa, what's this for?" Lissa asked.
"For doing your lessons efficiently, and not giving your mother a fuss." Mr. Legume told her.
"Thank you, Papa." Lissa smiled. "How much is it?"
"A whole franc." Her father answered.
"What about me?" Gaston whimpered. His father sighed and looked at him in irritation.
"You're too big for little rewards like this." He said. Gaston clenched his hands. "You're practically a man now. It's time you started learning to work hard without expectation of reward."
Gaston was green with envy! Why, I never...he huffed in thought. It was so unfair! He glared at his little sister who'd gotten a reward she could've earned any day. Why? Why did she always have to be so dang angelic? Why did her father let himself so easily be persuaded by her cuteness? It wasn't fair! "That's not fair!" Gaston hollered.
"Enough." Mr. Legume held up his hand. Then he looked at Lissa. "I hope you appreciate this."
"I do! Thank you, Papa." Lissa replied, still amazed. It wasn't every day she got money like this! Her father left the room. "Is it really mine, Mother?" Lissa asked excitedly.
"Yes, dearest. You earned it." Mother smiled. "It's all yours." She looked over to her son, but he'd stormed out and gone to his room to sulk. His mother felt bad for him. She went to him and tried to ease his resentful feelings but he wouldn't listen.
"Why does she always get the preference?" He wailed. "Why does she have to act to primpy and cute all the time?"
"It's not really her you're angry with, is it?" His mother asked, stroking his black hair. "It's your father."
"Doesn't matter." Gaston muttered. His mother could see that she wouldn't get anywhere until he cooled off. He was a teenager now and as stubborn as they came, if not more so. She kissed his head and left without another word.
"Gaston, did you see the reward Papa gave me?" Lissa asked innocently later when she wanted him to take her to the baker's so she could spend it.
"Ha!" Gaston growled with his arms crossed.
"Look. It's real." Lissa said proudly, waving it up for him to see. Gaston squinted at her in disgust. Then he formed a creepy smile.
"Say, that really is something." He said with fake admiration, coming to her. He knelt down in front of her. "Let me see that." Lissa clenched it inside her fist. "What? I just want to look at it." Gaston said casually. Lissa didn't believe him. She remembered too many times before that he'd stolen her special treats.
"I'm going to put it away where it'll be safe." She said.
"Don't you trust me?" Gaston pouted.
"I don't know." Lissa said warily, backing up.
"I'm not going to hurt it." Gaston shook his head, laying it thick on his sly sweetness.
"But you might take it. Papa gave it to me. Excuse me."
"Not so fast, sis. I want it." Gaston said as he rose to his feet.
"But you can't." Lissa argued sadly.
"If you're as sweet as Papa says you are, he'll give you another one. I didn't get anything! Come on, Lissie. Don't you want to make me feel better?"
"Yes, I do. But..."
"Come on..." Gaston said with a sneaky look in his eye. "Oh? Am I gonna have to tickle you into giving it to me?" The last time he'd taken something from her by force or without asking, she'd gotten all upset, he'd been tattled on, and his mother had scolded him icily.
"N-n-no!" Lissa shook her head and ran the other way.
"Ha, ha. You can't outrun me!" Gaston called after her and gave pursuit. Lissa ran downstairs. She held her precious prize to herself, determined to keep it. "Come on. Give it to me!" Gaston jeered, his heavy boot steps clambering close behind her.
"It's mine!" Lissa whined, clutching it close to herself. She ran as fast as she could away from him, but the icy adrenaline warned her that he was closing in. "Mother said I could have it." Lissa told him for the twelfth time. She stumbled to the floor and it fell from her grasp. Gasping, she snatched it and tried to get back to her feet. But a hand grasped her ankle and she fell down again. "Ahh!" She shrieked. She knew who it was.
She heard Gaston let out a cry of triumph which always irritated her. "Give up?" Gaston asked, kneeling on the floor.
Lissa wrestled to find a foothold, but then he poked her in the side. Then he did it again, harder. "Ahh!" Lissa tried not to laugh, and scrunched up her little body. Then it came. Gaston started tickling her right side. "Ohhoho!" Lissa squealed, wriggling. "Oh, no! No, no!" She giggled. "Stop!" She could not help it as Gaston's big fingers ran up and down her side.
Gaston laughed triumphantly. He would have that golden franc! He didn't care what it took. But charming her out of it sure did beat making her cry and getting lectured again. She curled up hard and flipped onto her back to squish his fingers and stop him. That was a big mistake! She giggled harder as he tickled her stomach. "No! Oh, please, Gaston! Stop! Stop it!" She wildly swatted at his hands to make him stop.
"Just hand it over and I'll leave you alone." Gaston halted for a moment. Lissa frowned.
"But Mother said it's mine!" She moaned.
"Come on." Gaston held his palm open. "I want it. Well? I'm waiting."
"But it's mine!" Lissa insisted.
Gaston frowned. "You won't give it up?"
"No!" Lissa shook her head, puffing out her small lip. "Nuh-uh."
"So...you won't give it to me, eh?" Gaston raised an eyebrow. Lissa emphatically shook her head. It was hers and she would never let him have it! "Bad move." Gaston smirked. He curled his fingers and dove them at her again. She laughed and curled into a ball as he tickled her again. She smacked his arm but that didn't do any good.
"Stop! Don't tickle me! Stop it, Gaston!" She begged. "Mother...he's getting me! Help!" She uncurled her hands and the coin dropped. Gaston's eyes lit up and he instantly snatched it up. Lissa gaped at him.
"Ha, ha. Look what I got." Gaston announced smugly. He gripped it hard. "It's mine now!"
"NO!" Lissa protested and tried to pry his fingers loose to take back her prize. Gaston quickly got to his feet.
"You want it, you've got to get it." Gaston taunted her, holding it above her head where she couldn't reach it. She anxiously jumped up and down, trying to get it back. Gaston chuckled at her frustration.
"Give it back, please! It's mine!" Lissa cried.
"Catch me if you can, Shorty." Gaston sneered, and ran out of the room. Lissa tore off after him.
"That's not fair! Give that back!" She hollered.
"So, what do you want for your birthday?" Young Lefou asked Gaston.
"A real pistol!" Gaston answered.
"Are you joking? Your mother will never consent to that!" Lefou shook his head.
"But I'm becoming a man. It's time I had a real weapon. That'll teach my old man to call me whiner again!" Gaston declared. "That baby toy firearm he gave me when I was a young scamp, that's not a real man's friend!" They were sitting on the stone bridge outside the village, with their legs dangling over the edge. Tomorrow was Gaston's birthday, and he was all hyper tonight. "I guess Mother did a good job hiding my present this time." Gaston shook his head, resting his chin on his fist, his elbow propped in his knee. "I'm usually pretty good at finding my presents, but this time I've been completely baffled."
"You mean...you peek?" Lefou's jaw dropped.
"Of course." Gaston shrugged.
"Gaston!"
"Don't look so petrified, my friend." Gaston snickered at Lefou's reaction. "I've done it for years. Honestly, Lefou! Would you relax?"
"My father would never let me get away with that!"
"You're not as cunning as I am either." Gaston held his head high. Just then, they saw his little sister rushing up to them. "Just my luck. Ah, she'll tell me what I'm getting." Gaston said.
"She will?" Lefou furrowed his brows.
"Of course. She's easy to trick into spilling the beans." Gaston said. "Happens all the time. Just get her to gabbing, and all sorts of interesting things start pouring out before she even realizes what she's saying!" Lissa halted when she reached them, panting. "What is it, sis?"
"Mother...Mother said it's time to...come home for supper." Lissa tried to catch her breath.
"Okay." Gaston slid off the stone wall. He looked back at Lefou and winked at him. "Watch this!" He whispered. "So, are all my presents polished and shiny now?"
"No. They're..." Lissa began to ramble but stopped herself.
"They're just what?" Gaston asked, looking very coy.
"They were polished before Mother bought them." Lissa said.
"Ahh!" Gaston smirked. "I see. Which one did you pick out?" He leaned down closer to her.
"I picked out the..."
"Lissa!" Lefou blurted. "You're about to tell him what he's getting!"
Gaston stiffened. "Thanks a lot, Lefou!" Gaston rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.
Lissa's jaw dropped. "Oh no. I can't do that!" She shook her head. "I know you'll like it."
"Splendid." Gaston nodded, but he wasn't through yet. "So, is it big?"
"I don't know if I should tell you that." Lissa gulped.
"Why not?" Gaston narrowed his eyes. Lissa bit her lip. Gaston could either be very playful or very mean when he tried to get his way, and at times it was hard to tell which method he was planning to use.
"It's your birthday." Lissa stated.
"Ah, yes. It happens once every year." Gaston said smugly, then he frowned. "I think I know that, sis. But, seriously. What am I getting? You can tell me. I won't get you in trouble."
"I'm not allowed to tell." Lissa shook her head again.
"Please, Lissie. I can't stand the suspense. I must know!" Gaston begged dramatically.
"No." Lissa said firmly. Gaston arched his eyebrows.
"Oh, okay." He shrugged. "Fine. If you want to be Mother's perfect little angel, go right ahead." He said with his hands on his hips.
"Okay." Lissa agreed. "Let's go home. I'm hungry!" She turned to head toward home. But she squealed in surprise when her brother came up from behind her and started tickling her sides. "No, no, no, no!" She protested, laughing. She flailed and swatted at his hands."No, stop! Stop it. Don't tickle me, please! Gaston, stop it." She begged, squirming, but couldn't help giggling.
"Then talk." Gaston snickered. "Come on. Come on. I know you know." He stopped his frolicking fingers and just grasped her so she couldn't get away. She squirmed. "You gonna talk to me? Hmm?" He asked. "All you have to do is tell me my birthday present, and I'll let you go."
"I can't." Lissa said. "I'm not allowed."
"Yes or no?" Gaston persisted.
"Gaston, I can't." Lissa looked back at him. "You just have to wait till tomorrow!"
"Uh-uh." Gaston tsked. "Wrong answer." He ran his fingers on her sides again. Lefou couldn't help chuckling at the sibling pair.
"NO!" Lissa laughed so hard she couldn't breathe. She finally managed to wriggle from his grasp. "If you find out what it is, it won't be a surprise anymore."
"Well, that's better than keeping my nerves on edge." Gaston said casually.
"But, Papa will take it away from you if you find out." Lissa warned him.
"Oh." Gaston instantly frowned, wide-eyed. That's right. He will. I didn't think of that! When is he going to let me be a man? "That's true." He mumbled. "Okay. Let's go home."
Lissa ran on ahead of him. "This better be worth the wait!" Gaston declared as he marched home.
"I remember." Gaston snickered. "How I remember those days. You always ran away from me like a scared rabbit. Gone are the days. Pity, isn't it?"
"For you." Lissa corrected him with a grin, as she cleared their plates from the table. "But not for me."
Gaston glanced down at his palm, then narrowed his eyes at his sister with a devilish grin. He decided to push her buttons a little. "Hmm. Wonder if my fingers have lost their touch." He said nonchalantly, fiddling his said fingers.
"I don't know." Lissa shrugged casually, completely oblivious to his point. Gaston let out a most evil chuckle. Lissa froze, wide-eyed. She slowly glanced over at him suspiciously. "Oh no!" She shook her head. "You...you wouldn't!" She sputtered.
"Wouldn't I?" Gaston arched his eyebrows. She'd just challenged him, not a good move on her part.
"We're not children anymore, Gaston." Lissa said, backing up toward the wall. She would rather be scooped up and tossed in the pond, than be tickled! He only smirked and snickered. He started to get to his feet. He was on his feet! He took one step forward. Surely he wouldn't... "Ohhh..." Lissa gulped, backing away. "Oh, don't you dare!" She shrieked and fled.
Gaston laughed deeply, clapping his hands. Just like a rabbit! He thought. "Ha, ha, ha! I think I scared her!" He declared, very pleased with himself.
