Chapter 5: Be Still My Heart, I'm Hardly Breathing

Gaston had not been this excited since the day he stalked his first buck.

Even as a grown man, he still recalled the thrill of that early morning. He could taste the mist on his lips, feel the arrow sliding between his fingers as he freed it from its quiver and pulled it back with his bow. He could see the animal standing solemnly in the grove. It was silent and surrounded by trees that hung heavy with dew. It was a proud prize.

He heard it inhale and exhale deeply, once. Just once. Then his arrow flew and the beast dropped down. The young boy had been filled with many emotions. Exultation, pride, relief, all these overwhelmed his body. He had supplied food for his mother, skins for his father, and respect for himself. It had been a good day.

Today would be even better.

Dressed in his finest garbs, Gaston knew he looked his best. As he strode down the slick dirt road, he nodded at the passing ladies. He watched their appreciative female eyes sparkle and their hands move to their chests. The large man chuckled to himself and shook his head. There was only one girl he wanted to impress this day.

"Hey Gaston, wait up. What's the joke?" Asked a eager voice behind him.

Swinging around, Gaston looked down at his old friend LeFou. The short, round man struggled to match his stride and Gaston slowed down just a bit.

"No joke, old buddy. Just enjoying my morning. Stunning isn't it?"

LeFou shivered in response and snuggled deeper in his oversized coat. His curly brown hair swung over his ears and his face all but disappeared in his collar.

Gaston laughed again and slapped him on the back. "Well, maybe it's just me."

LeFou looked at his friend and decided that he was enjoying more than just the weather. He seemed almost chipper, if you could call a man that size such a thing. In fact, he had only once ever seen Gaston so animated and they had known each other since they were toddlers.

The boys learned to walk together. They learned to speak together. And until Gaston grew to be two feet taller than him, they had learned to wrestle together, too. They were as familiar as two friends could be, so it didn't take long for LeFou to guess what was behind his pal's good humor.

"Going to get Belle, ain't ya?" LeFou asked matter-of-factly.

Gaston couldn't hold back his mirth as he placed an arm around the smaller man's shoulders with a grinning nod.

"Bout time," LeFou remarked boldly, as only he was allowed.

"Yes, it is," Gaston growled, his hunger and excitement obvious in his shining eyes.

LeFou sighed and shook his head. His red tipped nose wrinkled up slightly over the button of his collar. "Gonna break a lot of hearts…"

"They'll get over it. More for you, my friend!" Gaston shoved him. "Besides, what do I care for them, when Belle is mine?" he smiled roguishly.

LeFou stopped walking suddenly and grabbed for Gaston, forcing him to pause with an impatient grunt. Lefou's heavily gloved mitts grasped around a thick bicep and the small man breathed in as he carefully chose his words.

"What is it, LeFou?"

"Belle's nice and all but are you sure she's the one?" he asked hesitantly. Lefou knew he was walking on fire by even asking.

How many boys had he seen Gaston pummel growing up?

Too many.

He knew talking about Belle was a deal breaker, but he pushed forward anyway, ignoring the voice in his head that told him to shut up and the dangerous look filling Gaston's rich brown eyes.

"What do you mean?" Gaston asked quietly.

"Now Gaston, don't look at me that way. " The little man pleaded with his hands held up. "I'm just sayin', you could have your pick of girls. Or you could have all of them. Why settle for Belle? She ain't that special. In fact, she's kinda strange if you ask…"

LeFou didn't see it coming. The fist was thrust forward so quickly it made contact and knocked him down before he knew he was hit. The befuddled man sat on his backside and rubbed his aching jaw.

"I held back. I won't again, old pal." Gaston turned to walk away, his mood decidedly darker.

"You won't be needing to." LeFou mumbled in agreement from his spot in the dirt. He called after the departing man "She is real pretty. I'll give you that!"

Gaston shook his head without looking back.

Pretty? The man was a fool. Belle was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Belle watched from the porch as her father rode away, pulling his hitched wagon behind him. The clinking metal traveled with him and Belle waved until no longer heard the sound. The girl placed her hands inside the pockets of her newly donned cornflower blue dress and sat on the wood steps in silence.

It would be so quiet without her father. She would miss how the house filled with his mechanical cacophonies and lively conversation. She would miss him tasting everything she cooked for him while she prepared it, then never being hungry for dinner. She would miss every bit of his strange and unique madness.

The cold seemed to creep up on her. Belle stood to go indoors just as the sound of whistling reached her ears. At first, she thought her father had returned, but she quickly spotted the man on the road.

Heading her way was a very determined, a very distinguished looking, Gaston.

Reflexively, Belle pushed a stray curl back into her loosely tied ponytail and stepped back toward the door. After the talk with her father that morning, Gaston was the last person she wanted to see.

It was no use. He spotted her instantly. It was almost as if he could sense her presence. Gaston waved wide and began to jog easily towards her.

Even at a distance, Belle could see he was dressed abnormally fine. He must be heading somewhere important, she thought to herself, breathing a sigh of relief. Perhaps he would dispatch with the expected pleasantries quickly and be on his way. She pasted a smile on her face and waved back.

"Bonjour, Gaston." She called when he was within hearing distance. Then, almost in an instant, he was in front of her. He doesn't even have the decency of being out of breath, she thought to herself grudgingly. He really was perfect.

Gaston smiled up at her with barely controlled enthusiasm.

"Morning, Belle. What are you doing out here without your cloak? You'll freeze." He shrugged out of his own fur-lined coat and draped it around her before she had the chance to protest. It was warm from his body and smelled of soap and fresh open air. It smelled like Gaston.

Belle suddenly felt flush and pulled it off, hurriedly handing it back. "I'm fine, Gaston. In fact, I was just going inside."

Gaston grinned mischievously and grabbed her arm, escorting her to the door. Belatedly Belle realized that he had taken her words as an invitation.

"What a grand idea! I wouldn't mind warming my feet by the fire."

Before she knew it, they were both in the house. Gaston had hung his coat by the door and planted himself in a seat by the warm hearth.

"Make yourself at home, you big..." Belle began mumbling to herself before turning to her smiling friend. "Gaston, my father isn't home. He's gone to the fair. Perhaps you should..."

Gaston surprised her by standing and going to look out the window to where her father usually kept his wagon. "Drat. I was hoping to speak with him too. Guess we can just tell him together when he returns." Gaston turned and looked at a delightfully confused Belle.

"Tell him what?"

Gaston raised a brow and gave her his famous smirk. Belle watched as he strode toward her. To her amazement, he bent his great form and placed both hands on either side of her face. He moved closer to her.

His brown eyes burned into hers for a moment, then they fell closed as his lips touched hers.

The kiss was gentle. Gaston pursued her with the restraint of a practiced hunter. His mouth softly grazed her own, barely allowing it to rest for a moment before pulling away. Belle kept her eyes tightly shut. She felt his warm breath on her face as she pulled in her bottom lip. It tasted of mint.

Belle released the shaky breath she was holding and pressed her palm to his chest. She felt his flesh heat at her touch and finally looked up into his eyes. Her heart jolted at the fierceness of his stare.

He was lost.

His massive hands moved into the magnificent curls of her hair, pulling her closer to him. He drank of her deeply. His mouth moved over hers, marveling in the perfect fullness of her bottom lip and the feel of her warm breath against his skin.

She was flawless, divine. She was beyond beautiful. Never had he wanted anything in his life as he did her. She was his.

He branded her with his touch, with his lips and tongue. He parted the corners of her mouth and for a moment deepened the kiss. His blood roared like a river as she melted into his powerful arms. His heart pounded beneath her fingertips. For her, always for her.

He drew her closer, engulfing her in his heat. Her tiny frame molded against his chest as he lifted her slightly from the ground. She made a small sound when he left her lips and moved to her cheek, her throat. Her skin was impossibly soft and he ached to taste all of her.

Then he noticed the gentle pressure on his shoulders. She wasn't pulling him closer but pushing him away. He lifted his head with difficulty and opened lids heavy with desire. She was staring at him with wide eyes and swollen lips. Her hair had come loose and was tangled from his fingers. He had never seen her look more tempting. He dropped his head again but to his vast disappointment, he found her stepping back.

"Gaston," she whispered weakly "what are you doing?"

Gaston eyed her with frustrated adoration and ran a hand through his long dark hair.

"Currently?" He asked, his expression teasingly intimate. "Not what I'd like to be doing." Then, with a sinful look, he moved to reach for her.

Belle held her hands up and stopped him.

Gaston laughed at her innocence and folded his arms across his chest. "Belle, it's fine for engaged folks to kiss. Expected even."

Belle's eyes filled with confusion and she shook her head as if to clear it. Then realization came over her and an expression Gaston had not expected filled her magnificent hazel gaze.

By god, was she upset? No. Impossible.

But, if he didn't know better, he would guess she was. In fact, from that look, he would wager she was furious!

A.N The characters and story above belong to Walt Disney

Hello, readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as Gaston did! I would like to thank those of you who have let me know your thoughts on this story, especially my guest reviewers and FelineNinjaGrace. Your kind words mean so much to me and really motivate me to keep writing. Sooo, readers, how about that kiss? Is it hot in here or is it just Gaston?! Let me know your thoughts on these recent, um, developments, and I'll send a sexy hunter your way. As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, following and/or favoriting! -S.