Author's Note: Hello everyone, and thank you all for the constructive feedback! It's been a great pleasure of mine to entertain you all, and it's always helpful to receive criticism in order to augment my skills as a writer and to make the story better for all readers.
Fun fact: I knew when I first started this story that popularity would be a long shot, since Lumielle isn't exactly a popular pairing in the first place. But it seems that you readers, even if you don't find Lumielle in your best interest, gave this story a chance anyway! Amazing! Each and every one of you are amazing for doing that.
And for those who like Lumielle... Let me just say that I'm doing all this just for you. ;)
A Person Who Likes Comedy: Are you kidding? Nobody makes a great story like Gaston, that's for sure. I know he's not for everybody, but try and give him a chance. :)
Noname: Isn't it at all? I have to admit, I'm pretty psyched too! Can't wait to type the climax of the story...whatever it may be. Remember, I am making this up as I go.
CassandraDayTree: Thank you ever so! You're the sweetest!
Belle: OMG, your school sounds a lot more fun then mine if they're letting you go on field trips. XD I hope you had fun! With that aside, I am so happy that you love it, or WUV it, rather, and I hope you leave some criticism for this chapter while you can. I'm actually trying to figure out the plot and it's going pretty well for someone who's just making the story up as they go along. Thanks ever so for your time, and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
XxRebelWriterxX: Fear not, my fine, fine fellow. Although it seems like our favorite ship is merely a dinghy, do not fret, for there are more stories like ours to come. I do plan to write a series of one shots so watch out for that! ;) And for the love of Pete, publish that story of yours so I can read it and love it! I really want to see! Have a great day!
ImagineATale: Thanks for stopping by, even if you were a little skeptical of the pairing-which is COMPLETELY understandable, by the way. I know that I've turned down stories myself just because of the pairing, even if the story had a great plot. It's a bad habit, and I'm working on trying to embrace change and other people's interests. If you aren't interested in Lumielle, that's just fine with me, but I do hope that you continue to read, as it IS going to get intense in later chapters. Thank you so much for your review. And don't worry about Philippe. He's quite alright. ;)
Bailey Noelle: Co-writing would be amazing, mostly because I've never done it before, haha! Thanks for leaving a review again. It always warms my heart to hear that ding of an upcoming email that tells me that you reviewed. ;) I'm really happy that you like these chapters, because I am working pretty hard on it even though I am just making it up as I go along. XD I hope you can fill me in if you have any other ideas as to where this story could go! That would be super cool, after all!
singertobe: Maurice is a sweet person. How he cares for his daughter is amazing, so I figured he'd be just as sympathetic towards the enchanted beings as he would his own family. He is indeed, DA MAN!
R.M. Tepes: Thanks for dropping by to leave a review! It really warms my heart to see that a number of people have actually given this story a chance, despite everyone's obvious dislike of the pairing I've chosen to accompany it. Thanks again for leaving a review, and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or even ideas, leave another one! Bye!
And a quick shout out to Lumielle, who is writing a story of his/her own, so look that up and read along!
So with that said and done, let us commence the story! Chop chop!
...
Belle had witnessed the wonder of her father, by some marvel, convincing Gaston to permit him to convey the enchanted objects home, even if it was just to mend them before the auction. Nonetheless, though what Maurice had done was foolhardy, considering the power behind Gaston, it was so very brave. But now she couldn't imagine what her future (ugh) husband was planning, now that he had let Lumiere, his target as far as she was concerned, precariously slip through his fingers. It was a rash move on his part, and she supposed she had to thank him for that, because now they had a greater chance of escape. This she assured herself as she led Philippe on, the wagon of cages trailing leisurely behind them as the sun hung overhead. It was wonderful, regardless of what he was planning, that her father had convinced him. So wonderful, that for the longest time, she let her own qualms slip her mind.
"Papa, I'm so-so glad you did this," she happily informed Maurice once they were out of earshot of the villagers, who watched curiously as they strolled past. Something told her that there would be more than just a few rubbernecks, so they had to be careful. "I couldn't imagine what would become of them if they were in the hands of that snake."
Maurice chuckled. "Anything for my daughter's friends," He exclaimed with a humble beam. "It's the least I could do, considering they are in pretty bad shape. What on earth happened in that castle?" This question was directed at Cogsworth, who had clasped his metallic hands around the bars of the cage and listened in on the conversation.
"Oh dear, where do I begin?" The small grandfather clock dramatically groaned. "Well, besides the obvious challenge of holding the door down-which I admit I missed-considering the circumstances being what they were, I was upstairs-"
"-Preparing your gear," Lumiere, who was currently chatting with a relived Mrs. Potts, chimed in with a boisterous laugh. "You looked positively charming in all that getup, mon ami," he cackled. Belle hid a smile behind her hand.
Cogsworth stared, unable to tell if his friend was being sarcastic or genuine. "Ahem. Quite," he carefully replied. "Besides holding down the door, the real challenge was-"
"Saving me," the candelabra chimed in again, and Cogsworth tensed abruptly.
"Would you please stop interrupting-...oh!" He clasped his hands together awkwardly. He certainly didn't expect Lumiere to announce that he had had to be rescued. "Well, yes, I suppose I did."
"You did?" Belle asked, impressed.
"Yes. Not an easy feat, might I add," Cogsworth shrugged, trying not to blush with an air of pride. "Not when I was in danger of falling off the banister."
Lumiere chuckled. "How time flew," he quipped, imagining the clock flying through the air.
"The banister?" Mrs. Potts exclaimed. The clock realized his mistake in recalling that little detail in front of the teapot and grinned sheepishly. Oops. "Goodness me, what were you thinking?" She cried.
"Of saving me, of course!" Lumiere answered. "His dearest friend," he added, wrapping an arm around Cogsworth's tensed shoulders.
"His head was in the game, I'm sure," Maurice chuckled. "Do tell, how DID you save him?"
Cogsworth paused, glanced at Lumiere-who nodded at him to finish-and let a proud smile overtake his face. "Well, while I was upstairs, I caught sight of that dunderhead, LeFou. That is his name, yes?" The others nodded. "He-and I know this is horrific-was trying to melt Lumiere with a torch."
"How barbaric!" Mrs. Potts, who had missed the occurrence, seethed. Belle agreed, wincing accordingly.
"Indeed," Cogsworth agreed, shaking his head. "I knew he was cornered, and something had to be done, so I-"
"-Slid down the banister and stuck a dagger right into ze plump behind of the cretin!" Lumiere finished heroically, grinning at a furious Cogsworth.
"Why you-I'd like to finish my own story, if you don't mind!" The clock seethed, and everyone laughed heartily, forgetting their own predicaments for a little while.
"What about you, Lumiere?" Belle chuckled, and the candelabra smiled at her. What he didn't expect is what she asked next. "Did you rescue any damsels in distress?" She said it in a joking sort of manner, as if comparing HIM to a damsel when he was in distress. Just a quip. Nothing harmful, except this time, it brought back some rather terrible memories indeed.
He sucked in a breath through his gritted teeth as everyone else in the cages tensed accordingly. Oh, why of all questions had it to be that one?! Of course, it wasn't Belle's fault. Her personality was too caring for her to suddenly want to hurt him. She just didn't know. She didn't know about Fifi...
Lumiere took it in stride, surprising those who knew about Fifi by swallowing hard and putting on his best toothy smile. "Not quite, mademoiselle," he smoothly replied, "but mark my words: next time I'll be someone's knight in shining armor."
Belle laughed. "That's good, Monsieur. That's very good."
...
LeFou was astounded. After Belle and her father left, he turned to his best friend and hissed, "What the heck, Gaston?!" He waved his arms erratically. "Why'd ya let him take them?! I thought you were gonna let me melt the candlestick and "clean" the clock!"
Gaston glared at and bonked the little man on the head for good measure. "Why do you think?" He snapped. "LeFou, think-and I know it's a dangerous pastime, but bear with me-why would I allow Belle and her father to watch over those objects? Why?"
LeFou paused. "Gosh, I don't know. And it's freaking me out a little..." He admitted, scratching his head stupidly.
Gaston rolled his eyes. "LeFou, the better those objects look, the more profit we get."
"Yeah, but the smith could take care of that just as well!" LeFou pointed out.
Gaston froze. "True..." he admitted.
LeFou folded his arms. "There something you aren't telling me?"
"No!" Gaston almost shouted, causing the little man to jump. "I mean-" he groaned, slapping a hand over his face. "Fine. It's the candlestick. The one you want to melt?"
"Oh! That! Yes, of course..." LeFou looked up to him, nervous. "...Eh, what about it?"
Gaston groaned and yanked the man up by the collar so they were eye-to-eye. "That candlestick," he snarled, "has some infatuation with her."
There was a gasp. "No way! With Belle? That's..." he crinkled his nose. "That's pretty...uh...weird." He shook his head. "That's just...there's no way."
"Yes way. It has to," Gaston insisted, more to himself than anyone at that moment, and then to LeFou, he said, "And as much as I hate to say it, she must have something for that-...that stick of wax, if she agreed to anything when it was in danger!"
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"Don't question my judgement!"
"Oops. Sorry." And not a moment passed before he asked, "And letting them get together helps...how?"
Here, Gaston had a reason. "If I can catch those two together-doing goodness knows what-I'll have the perfect excuse to get rid of that thing once and for all!"
LeFou was quiet for a moment, before a giant smirk overwhelmed his goofy face. Gaston rose his eyebrows in confusion. "Wow," the little man chortled, "upstaged by a mantelpiece-Oof!" Gaston had thrown him to the ground, causing the wind to be knocked out of him.
"Nobody can upstage Gaston, little man," he growled while his friend gasped for air. "Nobody! Remember that next time you suggest such a ridiculous thing..."
"So are you gonna like...spy on them?" LeFou gasped, clutching his stomach.
"No. That's what YOU'RE going to do," Gaston confirmed, hitching up his belt before walking away, leaving LeFou to pick himself up out of the dirt.
"...Aw, nuts..." he groaned.
...
"And here is my shop!" Maurice announced, unhooking the wagon from Philippe and opening the cage doors. The enchanted objects all paused, as if afraid to step out into the open, before the yearn for freedom overwhelmed everything else and they hopped out, landing easily on the soft, grassy ground.
"Ah, c'est tellement sympa!" Lumiere exclaimed as he landed, stretching out his golden limbs. "I thought I would never breathe fresh air again!"
From afar behind a tree, LeFou quietly hid, peeking out from behind said tree to get a better look.
"Our cage was open to air, Simpleton," Cogsworth muttered, and Lumiere elbowed him accordingly. The children all giggled while Mrs. Potts and Belle shook their heads.
"Now," Maurice muttered as he uncovered the other cages that had been veiled with parchments the whole trip, "there you are." The silverware within the cages jumped for joy, as did the little footman, which panted and barked.
Maurice was happy to open the other cage doors, and the other objects all exited gratefully, stretching out their scrunched and cramped forms. The footman let out a tiny bark of gratitude before bounding off to scare the chickens, causing the silverware to quickly follow suit to make sure things didn't get out of hand. It was quite the sight for Maurice, who, unlike Belle, wasn't quite used to seeing enchanted beings.
"Goodness me," he thought, astounded. "How did these amazing creatures come to be? How was this accomplished?"
"What a lovely home you have!" Mrs. Potts gushed about the cottage, snapping Maurice out of his thoughts as she hopped along the grassy path that led to the wrecked door of the basement.
"O-Oh, thank you!" Maurice beamed bashfully, and Belle did so as well. It was wonderful to see her father get along with her friends so well. "It's a hovel, and it may not be as grand as the castle, but it's nice and cozy."
"That's quite alright-Why, what on earth happened here?" The teapot gasped, hopping towards the basement door that had been smashed to smithereens, and her son, who had hopped up to join her, grinned. "Was this always like that?"
"That was my idea!" Chip crowed, "I mean, my fault," he quickly amended when his mother glared at him. "Sorry," he added.
"How in the world-" she started, before being interrupted by the young woman in blue.
"Oh, please don't be upset with him," Belle pleaded, clasping her hands together. "If it weren't for Chip, we would never have made it to the castle."
"Is that so?" Mrs. Potts asked, surprised, and looked to her son, who arched bashfully, which was his way of modestly shrugging.
"Oh, yes indeed," Maurice chimed in as he helped the doorman off the wagon. "The lad's a hero."
Chip gasped. "A hero? Did you hear that, Mama?"
"How did he-?" Mrs. Potts started, before sighing. "Never mind. I'm sure whatever he did was foolhardy and dangerous and nearly put you two at death's door." There was a small silence, before Maurice shrugged awkwardly and Belle laughed nervously.
"No worries, Madame," she assured the teapot. "Neither of us was in any danger."
Maurice then sighed and stared at the rubble. "Well, guess it's time to clean up!" Everyone winced, including the two humans, when they saw the amount of damages that needed to be cleared out.
Chip just smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," he again apologized.
...
Back at the tavern, Gaston was being practically bombarded with praise-mostly from the village women, which he soaked up vainly. It was often that this happened, ever since he was so loved by the people of his town, and he never missed an opportunity to show off, his strength, preferably.
"Gracious, how'd you manage it, Gaston?" One woman asked, leaning over the counter.
"The Beast must've been huge-how'd you do it?" Another exclaimed.
"Mon Dui, with a club and a dagger?" A man gushed. "Amazing!"
"When will you stuff it, Gaston? When can we see it? Can we now?" They all begged, and Gaston was quite pleased to see that everyone was interested in seeing his greatest kill yet.
"Now now, good people," he crowed proudly. "You'll be able to see the Beast in good time. Right now, let's all have a drink to celebrate the good lads who sacrificed so much in able to help me with my accomplishment. Without them, it wouldn't have been possible."
"To our victory!" A young man shouted, raising his mug.
"To our victory!" Everyone chorused in unison, and took a giant swig of mead.
LeFou, who had just gotten done with stalking Belle and her father and friends, tiptoed through the door and scrambled over to Gaston's famous chair, where Gaston was waiting himself. "Nothing to report," he wheezed, exhausted from his run. "They're all doing exactly what they told you to do."
Gaston smiled arrogantly. "You see, LeFou? What I say goes!"
LeFou was thoughtful. "Hey Gaston?" He asked his friend, who was just finishing off his own mead. "Whatever did the guys do with the body of the Beast?"
"They gave it to the butcher of course!" The muscular man answered, as if it were obvious. "What do you think we're going to eat on our wedding day? Duck? No, I wanted something exquisite, you know?"
"Oh! That sounds pretty interesting," LeFou commented, surprised by the prospect but not at all disturbed. "What do you think it'll taste like? Chicken or beef?"
"We'll make bets," Gaston promised, raising his mug.
LeFou had another question. "Is the whole thing going to be stuffed after ya have the boys skin it?" He asked. "Or are you just gonna have them mount th' head?"
Gaston grinned. Finally. A question he knew he could answer, at least to his best friend. "The whole body shall be stuffed, of course," he replied easily. "That way, when it's standing upright in this tavern, everyone will be able to know the size and scale of the monster, and just how tough it was to kill."
"Oh-ho! That's the way t' go!" The little man laughed, and Gaston laughed along with him.
LeFou was quiet for a moment, before piping, "Didn't you say that it didn't fight back, though?"
Gaston grinned sinisterly and tipped his drink in a toast-like fashion. "That's our little secret, old friend."
After that, they had loads of fun drinking with their friends and relaxing after the long trip. And the end of it, both Gaston and especially LeFou were exhausted, and were in need of a good night's rest. The smaller of the two had many questions for Gaston just like the many villagers that inhabited the tavern. He didn't let it bother him though, until everybody said their goodbyes and headed out for the night.
As they walked down the moonlit path, LeFou finally asked the question that had been nagging at him the whole night. "I had another question..." This time, he was concerned, Gaston noted.
"Go on," the taller of the two allowed with a flippant wave of his hand.
LeFou bit his lip. "Aren't you nervous that those things will escape if they're with Maurice?"
He didn't expect his best friend to answer so smoothly, but he did so with ease. "You're still worried about that?" He laughed, smacking LeFou on the back.
"Oof! Well yeah! I mean-"
"I'm sure Belle will make sure that they stay put," Gaston assured his friend with a smug little grin. "After all, I still have the Beast."
"Well, of course-! I mean, you do-b-but-" LeFou stuttered, but the taller male interrupted him yet again.
"And with you doing your job, it shouldn't be a problem."
...
That night, Belle was still thinking about the aforementioned Beast when her father finally laid out his plans. It had taken quite a while for her and Maurice to clear out his workspace from that wood-chopping contraption, even with the servants' help. But when the sun set behind the mountains and the stars began to come out of their hiding places, they finally finished.
Little did they know, LeFou was hiding outside, listening to their every word.
Later...
"Alright," Maurice cheerfully announced once everyone was settled. He'd laid out several blankets for the children and Mrs. Potts to rest upon, while Cogsworth sat beside him on the workbench and Lumiere stood idly on a random shelf. The silverware and doorman stood politely by the worktable while the footman sniffed about the area, exploring.
"I think I've got it all figured out. Sir?" He gestured towards Cogsworth, who straightened to attention. "I'll start with you, because you've got the most damage. Is that alright with everyone else?"
There was a chorus of "yeses" and "why nots?"
Cogsworth sighed with relief. "Oh, my sincerest thanks, good Sir," he thanked Maurice. "My gears were really ailing me."
"Well, I think all you need is a good dose of lacquer for the dents and scratches, and a new glass door. That I can visit the forgeron for..." Maurice then trailed off, muttering to himself.
While they talked, the children, exhausted from the ordeals they had to go through, began to yawn sleepily. Even Mrs. Potts was beginning to nod off, though she kept herself awake as the responsible adult while her children fell asleep at her side.
Chip hopped up to his mother, snuggling at her porcelain side. "Mama?" He asked with a small yawn.
"Yes my dear?" She answered softly, as to not disturb the rest of her children.
"Are we safe now?"
Mrs. Potts pondered his question for a moment. There was no easy answer, and although the obvious one was to reply with a "no", she wasn't a cruel mother. Sometimes, for the sake of her children, ignorance was bliss. "Right now, yes," she answered with a smile, and her son smiled back with a huge bout of relief.
"Oh, good!" He yawned again, settling down. "I was hoping we were..." he trailed off, the hands of time lulling him to sleep.
Belle watched, smiled a little, tired herself, but her thought process was going dark. She couldn't stop thinking about the Beast, how kind he'd been to her after saving her from the wolves. How gentle he'd been with the birds in the garden filled with snow. How tender. How so very mild. And now, dead and gone, abridged to the state he was in, was so unjust she could hardly bear it. After all, it'd only been a day since his demise, and she was still wretched over the ghastly affair.
She had lost one of her dearest friends...what was she to do now?
"Mademoiselle?" Lumiere noticed from where he stood on the shelf, that Belle had been oddly quiet, especially for someone as engaging as her, so he hopped up to her and tugged on her blue dress.
"Are you alright?" He asked, concern evident in his smooth tone.
His voice snapped the young woman out of her thoughts and she nearly jumped, but quickly regaining her composure, she sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair back into place. "I'm just thinking..."
"About?" He asked, and instantly regretted it, as she looked away, depression written all over her face. "Pardon me for being nosy-" he tried to apologize.
"You're not," she cut in, ensuring him that being inquisitive was not the same as being intrusive. After all, he was just concerned for her wellbeing. "I'm sorry I haven't been my most cheerful," She mumbled dejectedly.
"Do not apologize for something that is not your fault," Lumiere scolded her lightly, and would have wagged a finger at her had he hands.
Her lips twitched and she bowed her head. "...A-About the Beast," she admitted. "I was thinking about the Beast."
"Ah..." Lumiere bit his lip and put his arms around his back guiltily. "I apologize," he mumbled. "I didn't mean anything by asking. Just..."
"It's alright," she assured him, gently taking his "hands" in hers, which caused him to blink. "You did nothing wrong. I just...I don't know what to do now, Lumiere." She quieted her voice, as so nobody else could hear. "The Beast is gone, and I want to pay my respects, but how can I with Gaston around? He'll never allow it!" She grimaced, letting go of his "hands". "And I'm just his fiancé! Can you imagine what he'll do when I actually marry him?!"
"Well, considering the controlling, bad-mannered troll that he is, I'd say..." Lumiere trailed off, gritting his teeth sheepishly, gesturing randomly with his golden arms.
"That my luck's run out?" Belle finished for him with a small grin.
Well that didn't help. "No, no!" Lumiere tried to amend. "I meant-"
"It's alright," she interrupted, resting her chin in her palm. "I think...I think you should know that I've accepted my fate as it is, if it means keeping you and the rest alive." She sounded so hopeless...
"No! You mustn't give in! Rebel!" Lumiere told her, holding up a "fist". "You show him that you aren't going to be pushed around! You're a liberated woman!"
Belle allowed herself to grin. "That may be a little difficult, Monsieur. To rebel, I mean, when your lives are on the line."
Lumiere paused at that, and rubbed the back of his wax head blushingly. "Ah. Right. I must admit I forgot about that..."
"Forgot? Something as important as that?" She asked with mock surprise.
Lumiere grinned at her awkwardly and Belle chuckled again.
There was a small silence between the two of them, before the young woman broke it. "I'm so sorry you lost him."
"I?" Lumiere was stunned. That wasn't something he was expecting her to say. "What about you?"
"Me?" Belle was thunderstruck. "Well, he grew up with you, didn't he? Don't you miss him at all?"
"Of course I do," he assured her. "It's just-I thought you two were...very good friends. I'm just-was just a servant to his master."
"But, surely you two were friends...?" She was a little unsure, what with how he used to treat them.
Lumiere paused, considering telling her about the before time. Before, when he and all his friends were human...and decided against it, for now. "I gave him advice when he needed it, whether it was good or bad..." he carefully started. "He looked up to me when he was a child-"
Belle laughed softly, trying to imagine a youthful Beast. "I don't doubt that. What was he like when he was young?"
Lumiere felt a smile spread over his wax face. "Oh, you would have adored him, Mademoiselle. He was a bright child, with a heart of gold. You should have seen the way he played with everyone. I did teach him the best pranks of course," he informed her proudly.
Belle raised a single eyebrow and smiled sweetly. "I see. You must have been quite the trickster."
"Don't tell mom ami, please," he chuckled, now whispering. "He's still onto me for certain pranks."
"Well, what...what happened as he got older?"
Ah. Here was the question that Lumiere despised, but could not blame Belle for asking when she had been on the receiving end of the Beast's anger before.
"His mother passed on," he revealed with a great bout of sadness in his tone. "And his father...his father warped and distorted the poor child until he was just like him. And when the man met his fate, the Master's temperament took a turn for the worst."
"Oh..." Belle covered her mouth. "Lumiere..."
"But then you..." he paused and looked up to her, beaming through gloomy remembrance. "You transformed him, Mademoiselle. You gave us back the master we used to know, when it was our job to do so."
"So why didn't you?"
Lumiere answered, "Mrs. Potts was more of a motherly figure than anyone else. I...I wasn't much of a role model at all. Just a servant. That's all I ever was after his mother passed on, and now that he's gone...I'm nothing much." He shrugged and held out his "arms". "Just a candélabra."
"Untrue," Belle firmly affirmed, crossing her arms. "You are a fantastic maître d'. Do you remember my first night?"
"Of course! How could I have forgotten?"
"Well," Belle skeptically pointed out, "you did say you forgot that your lives were on the line-"
"Irrelevant!" He brushed off. "Go on."
Belle smiled. "I was scared, terrified actually," she admitted. "I had just lost my father, my freedom, my dreams...everything. But you-you and that wonderful song, managed to put a smile on my face. And at that moment, I felt something."
"What was it?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "Happiness? Gratitude? It could have been either of the two or something more."
Lumiere smiled and bowed an elegant bow. "It was my pleasure to serve you, mademoiselle."
Belle laughed a real laugh that time, her eyes brightening up. "It was a pleasure to be served, Monsieur. Besides, isn't it neat to be what you are? I mean, you don't have to worry about eating, and from what I've heard from the others, you never get ill or infected. And isn't it nice to live a long life?"
Lumiere smiled at her and shook his head. If only she knew...
...
Maurice had worked through the night, being extra careful when replacing Cogsworth's gears, applying lacquer to his wood all marked with dents and scratches, and after making a late-night visit to the forgeron, replaced the clock's glass door that opened up to the pendulum. Before long, he was ship-shape.
"And there we go!" Maurice announced with a tired but satisfied yawn, wiping his hands together. "You're as good as new."
Cogsworth, who had been lying on his back the entire time, stood up slowly and carefully, as to not disturb the drying lacquer and settling gears. Once he was situated though, and had looked himself over well, he could have jumped for joy! But no-he needed to politely keep his composure. He was still in charge and needed to keep up a particular image, he assumed.
"Good sir, I cannot thank you enough," he thanked the old man, who laughed loudly.
"It's written all over your face anyway. And please," he said with a smile, fanning the area with his hands to dry the lacquer, "call me Maurice."
"Maurice it is," Cogsworth agreed, and carefully jumped down from the worktable.
...
Mrs. Potts and her children had long fallen asleep before Cogsworth was finished, and Lumiere had kept Belle company throughout the night, keeping up a good conversation the whole time, until they too fell asleep where they sat.
Belle came to realize, through all that, that Lumiere would make a great companion through rough times. It was funny, how she had never really noticed it before; he was actually very intelligent (having received education from the castle of course), could hold up a smart conversation, and was very easy to talk to. If she ever stumbled, he would pick her back up. It was very nice, and although he couldn't replace the Beast, he was a fine "person" to talk to.
And then…Gaston had believed that she had an infatuation with Lumiere… She could only wonder...
...
Author's Note: I hope Lumiere gets his wicks back soon! How about you guys?