Prompt from Cornholio4: Okay how about Quasimodo and belle meeting and falling in love (the prince was never cursed, belle didn't meet him and taking place after the hunchback of Notre dame) since according to an animator she was designed to be about 20

Quasimodo thinks he is unworthy and too ugly for her and belle doesn't want to hear it

She finally silences him with a kiss

Prompts are CLOSED

…..

The girl was new.

Quasimodo watched from the upper levels of Notre Dame, as the girl moved through the cathedral, the wonder on her face the same as Esmerelda's all those years ago.

And just like all those years ago, Quasimodo found himself entranced.

It hadn't been that long since he was welcomed by the villagers, Phoebus and Esmerelda getting married not long afterwards. Now, they had a baby boy and Quasimodo couldn't bring himself to leave.

Not when the kindness they had once shown him might be snatched away.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

Panicking, Quasimodo raced back to his tower, missing how the young woman glanced up in confusion.

….

"This is new."

Quasimodo winced as Esmerelda held up the new wooden figure, looking at the warm eyes and a gorgeous blue and white dress.

"Who's this?"

Taking care not to drop the baby, Quasimodo shrugged, "I don't know her name."

"Did you ask her?"

Quasimodo flushed and shook his head, as Esmerelda gave him a fond smile. However, before she could say anything, there was a voice from the staircase.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Quickly, Quasimodo handed Zephyr back to his mother, before running to hide under one of the bells, just as the door opened up and a familiar young woman entered.

"Oh." She flushed at the sight of Esmerelda, "I'm sorry, I thought… well, I thought the bell-ringer lived up here."

"He does." Esmerelda silently gestured towards the Big Maria, where a pair of legs could be seen, "I need to get home." She walked past the woman, before pausing and whispering in her ear, "Be kind to him."

The woman nodded, watching Esmerelda leave before turning back to the large bell, only to notice that the legs had disappeared, but the curtains nearby were rustling slightly.

…..

Quasimodo held his breath as the footsteps came closer, yelping when the curtains were suddenly yanked to one side, prompting him to cover his face in fear.

"Hello." The woman whispered, "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I-I-I-I- "

"Won't you come out?"

Slowly, Quasimodo shuffled forwards, preparing himself for the fear and disgust…. But it never came.

"There you are."

The woman was smiling at him, with no sign of fear to be seen.

"Y-You're not afraid?"

"Should I be?"

At the silence, the woman held out her hand. "My name is Belle."

"N-Nice to meet you."

…..

From there, their friendship grew. Quasimodo told her about his guilt over what happened to Frollo. No matter how cruel the man was, he still raised him, living an empty space in his life.

He talked about how Esmerelda had pushed him to meet new people, only to have the girls run away in fear

She talked about she had to leave her own village, after a hunter tried to force her to marry him. Her impressions of the hunter and the other girls in the village made him chuckle in delight.

And he fell in love.

….

"Is this… me?"

Quasimodo winced as Belle picked up the small, wooden figure of herself, holding it up to the light.

"It's beautiful." She turned to him and smiled warmly, "You've even put a little book in my hand."

"You're not you without a book in your hands." He stammered nervously, "If you really want to see something beautiful, f-follow me."

He led her out of the tower, just as the sun was setting, casting the sky in gorgeous shades of red, orange and purple.

"Wow." Belle whispered, "This is amazing! How have I never seen this before?"

Quasimodo opened his mouth to reply, only for her to grab his hand and pull him into a hug.

"Quasimodo." She sighed happily, "I think I might lo- "

Eyes widening in shock, he pulled away from her grasp, shaking his head in denial as she frowned in confusion.

"You can't." He whispered, backing away from her, "You just can't."

"Quasimodo." Belle reached out and gently placed her hand against his cheek, "Whatever you're thinking, stop!"

"You're so pretty… and I'm… a monster!"

"Quasi." Belle pulled her closer, "There is nothing monstrous or ugly about you."

Without giving him a chance to reply, she pulled him closer and pressed her lips against his.

There would be no more talks about monsters.