Beauty & the Beast: The Tale Continues

Chapter 8 - Playful Love

Author's Note: Disney is the rightful owner of "Beauty and the Beast"; I just own this story.

Also, if there's any song you could imagine being sung in this world, or be placed in the background, please let me know... because I'm having trouble, honestly.

When Adam awoke the next morning, he wasn't surprised to learn that Belle had already left the castle, so after getting himself ready, the young man started heading over to the lake.

She certainly is an early riser, thought Adam, who had been taking advantage of the newfound comfortability sleeping as a human rather than a furry creature.

As he continued his path, Adam was noticing how more beautiful the scenery was now that the snow and ice had disappeared, and everything looked like summertime instead of winter.

Maybe later today, Belle and I could simply take a walk through the forest, with me listening to her read some...

His thoughts were cut short when he saw that he'd arrived at the lake, and he couldn't believe how beautiful and clear the water was now that it wasn't frozen solid.

Adam also noticed that Belle had placed her dress and boots neatly by a nearby tree, and he started looking around for her. Where could she-

SPLASH!

"Took you long enough," chuckled Belle, as she popped her head out of the water.

Adam rolled his eyes, and replied, "Very funny... um, you are wearing something, aren't you?"

Belle smirked at her special someone, and raised an eyebrow. "What would you do if I wasn't?"

Oh, God, thought Adam, his face starting to turn red. "Well, um... I wouldn't mind actually, but..."

The young woman began to laugh, and she said, "It's fine, Adam, I'm wearing a two-piece... see for yourself."

Then, Belle started to walk towards him, but for Adam, it felt like she was going in slow-motion.

I have to think of another word than 'beautiful' to describe Belle.

Whatever she had felt for Adam after he'd growled at her, he was feeling the same for Belle right now, as his eyes began admiring the curves of her body, the smoothness of her legs, and how natural her-

"Adam?"

"Huh?" The young man said, breaking out of his trance, and saw that Belle had gone back into the lake, with the water stopping at her cleavage.

"Aren't you going to come in?"

To Belle's surprise, he gulped, and said, "Well, actually, Belle, I was hoping to just watch you enjoy yourself... and I would stick my feet in the water, or something."

Belle rolled her eyes, and replied, "Oh, Adam, you're acting as if you don't know how to swim."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"You don't know how to swim?"

Adam started to look guilty, and Belle asked, "You mean to tell me that you never even learned how to swim?"

He frowned a little, and said, "No, I learned... a little... it's just been a rather long time since I first tried to, and... my father never bothered to take the time to teach me.

"Plus, as a beast, I wasn't exactly... fond of getting wet."

"Oh, you poor thing," chuckled Belle, while Adam started mumbling to himself. "Well, come on, then..."

The young man gave her a confused look, and said, "Come on, and what?"

"I'll have to teach you, then, won't I?" replied Belle, placing her hands on her hips.

Teach me how to...?

A suprised Adam asked, "You would do that for me?"

Belle nodded her head, and she said, "Better now than at a time when your life depends on it."

She does have a point there, thought Adam, and he gave a shrug. How bad could it be?

So, he started to remove his shirt, footwear, and socks, leaving him only in a pair of swimsuit trunks, with boxers underneath, and Belle was silently telling herself to maintain control.

After placing his clothes and footwear by Belle's, Adam began walking into the lake, but stopped before reaching the point when he could no longer touch the ground.

"So, now what?"

Belle sighed, and she headed over to Adam, saying, "Well, first of all, you need to come a little more in the water."

"Uh..." replied Adam, now looking a little afraid, but then, Belle gently took him by the hand, and he found himself looking into her beautiful brown eyes.

"I've got you, Adam, it's alright," said Belle, and the young man just nodded his head, allowing her to pull him further out into the lake.

When Belle stopped moving, she looked up at Adam's face, and saw that his eyes were closed. "You can open your eyes now."

Once he did, Adam saw a warm-smiling Belle in front of him, and that she was no longer holding his hands.

He also noticed that they were both floating in the water. "Huh... that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Belle let out a chuckle, and she said, "Alright, so first, get your body in this position... as if you were laying across something."

Adam nodded his head, paying close attention to Belle, and hoping that he wouldn't mess up.

"Now, move forward by using your arms like this... but also kick your legs back like this... so, it's stroke, then kick, then stroke, and another kick..."

Belle had swam a little further away from Adam, and after stopping, she turned around to look back at him. "Alright, now, you try."

"Um... alright..." Adam took a deep breath, and slowly started to try swimming the same way he had seen Belle do it.

Huh, I think that I'm actually getting the hang of this!

As Belle watched Adam swim towards her, a feeling of proudness entered her body, and a smile appeared on her face.

"Well... you could work a little more on your speed," said Belle, after Adam had finally reached her. "But you're doing quite well for a first timer."

"This isn't my first time," corrected Adam, rolling his eyes. "In so long, anyway... but thank you, Belle, for helping me."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Belle said, "It was my pleasure, Adam."

Then, the two of them shared a slow but sweet kiss, with feelings of happiness erupting inside themselves.

However, as Adam slowly backed away, seeing that Belle still had her eyes closed, the young man pulled his arm back, and swiftly swung it forward, causing a small wave of water to splash over Belle.

"This is the thanks that I get for helping you?" exclaimed Belle, sounding both annoyed and amused, and Adam gave her a playful shrug.

"Let's just consider that payback for pushing me into the-"

SPLASH!

Belle did the same thing, only her wave was a little bigger, and she began laughing after seeing how Adam's hair looked now.

Using one of his hands to send most of the hair behind his head, Adam let out a dark chuckle, and said, "Oh, ho, ho... it is on now, Belle."

"Well, then, what are you waiting for?"

Adam grinned at her, and soon enough, the two of them were splashing each other with waves of water, having the time of their lives.

Eventually, their arms were getting tired, and after swimming back to the the starting point of the lake, the two of them were now sitting on the soft grass, admiring the scenery in front of them.

"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" Belle asked, enjoying how everthing looked now that the sun was shining brightly in the sky.

Yes, I have, thought Adam, looking fondly at Belle, but he figured that was too sappy, so instead, he said, "Not yet... but if I ever do, you shall be the first person I tell."

He turned to look at Belle, and to his surprise, she let out a yawn. "Tired already?"

"Well, after that water fight, yes," replied Belle, and then, a sneaky idea popped inside Adam's mind.

"Belle, could you do something for me?"

She looked at her special someone, and said, "Sure, what is it?"

"Close your eyes..."

She gave him a smirk, but let out a sigh, and closed her eyes. "Alright, now what?"

"Wait until I say to open them..."

Now filled with wonder and curiousity, Belle patiently continued to sit on the ground, keeping her eyes closed... just waiting... and waiting...

"Now, can I open them?"

With a wide smile, Adam said, "Alright... now."

Finally opening her eyes, Belle found herself looking at a fully dressed Adam, who was also holding her clothes in his arms. "Adam? What are you-"

"I can play games, too, Belle," chuckled Adam, and before she could do anything else, he took off running into the forest.

"Adam!" Belle quickly got to her feet, putting on the only things of hers left remaining - her socks and boots - before chasing after him. "You give me my dress back this instant!"

Sitting at a table near the un-lit fireplace, Maurice was currently working on a new idea that he had for a music box, but he stopped after hearing a familiar voice say, "Good afternoon, Maurice!"

"Oh, good afternoon, Jean," said Maurice, giving him a polite nod. "How has it been with your wife and son?"

Jean sat himself in a chair, and sighed happily as he replied, "It is just wonderful, old friend. I am so glad that I was able to remember them."

Maurice chuckled, and started to resume his work when Jean added, "You know, Maurice, we're around the same age... and I wouldn't mind helping you find-"

"I appreciate the offer, Jean, but I am not interested in pursuing any type of new relationship with another woman," replied Maurice. "I'm fine with just Belle, for the moment."

Jean nodded his head, and said, "Of course, my friend... how is she doing, by the way, with the, um, prince?"

"Adam? Oh, she's doing just fine," replied Maurice. "I've never seen her so happy with anyone besides me or even a book ever before."

"Ugh!" exclaimed Belle, as she continued following Adam. "I am not happy with you right now!"

As he continued running along the grassy field, Adam just laughed, and said, "I'm just having some fun, Belle!"

"Well, being half naked is not fun for me!" Belle's annoyance with Adam continued to grow, but then, after a while, she noticed that she was getting closer to him.

Alright, I have had just enough of this!

Using as much as strength as she possibly could, Belle took a huge leap towards Adam, and landed on top of him, pinning the young man to the ground, while her dress safely landed on a grassy spot nearby.

"Well, you got me," said Adam, trying his best not to laugh. "And you look so adorable right now."

"Why, you little..." growled Belle, but Adam just continued to laugh, and eventually, she couldn't help but laugh along with him.

Then, once their laughter started to go down, Belle realized how close they were to each other, while Adam saw how beautiful she was right now, and before he could do or say anything, she ended up laying completely on top of his body, followed by kissing him passionately.

Curses for not trying this earlier when I had the chance, thought a lustful-feeling Belle

Adam soon returned the favor, but as his hands started moving down Belle's unclothed body, an alarm went off in his head, and he gently pushed her a little bit away from him. "Um, wait a minute, Belle... this, uh... well..."

"Oh, yes, right," agreed Belle, her face red with embarassment as she got off of Adam, and went to retrive her clothes so that she could put them back on. "Sorry..."

"No, don't be," replied Adam, and once she was fully clothed again, they started to head back towards the castle. "Thank you, again, for helping me learn how to swim."

Belle gave him a smile, and said, "No problem at all... is there anything else I should know about that you can't do on your own?"

Adam chuckled, and he took Belle's hand in his own, saying, "Not exactly, but I will let you know first whenever I do."