-Adam-

When he came back out of breath and stupid happy from head to toe she was not where he had left her, but she had made it into the library and had left the door open.

He turned to his surprise and motioned for them to wait, and he entered the library. She was sitting on his favorite chair holding a book as if she were reading it.

"You know, it's entirely unfair that you kept the best chairs in the library. What use does a blind woman have for a library? I have decided that this is the best spot in the castle." He crossed the room and stood in front of her. She was still holding the book open and still pretending to read from it.

"What are you doing?" He asked surprised that she was holding an old worn poetry book.

She lowered the book a little and gave him the kind of smile that told him she was about to say something clever.

"I am reading."

"Really? Is it any good?" he asked, thoroughly amused by everything she did.

"Oh it's great. It's about monsters and forests and castles and a king."

"It sounds awfully tragic." he said causing her to snort.

"That's exactly what he wants you to think. I think the king secretly likes to be pitied."

"May I?" Adam asked grabbing onto the book and she blushed deeply as he sat next to her. A voice in his head told him he was sitting closer than he should, but he ignored it.

He took the book from her hands and made a show about loudly flipping the pages loudly, and then he stopped at a random spot. "No, you see? Just right here it says and I quote, "awfully tragic"."

"I guess you're right. Although, that's probably in the first half where he kept himself holed up away from everyone. Content to let everyone think he was some great evil."

"Yes the first half does say awfully tragic. The last half is surprisingly triumphant with the evil Beast King being vanquished by some gallant knight giving the book a happy ending."

She jerked her head towards him and he thought for a second she was going to protest, but she just took the book from him and flipped it upside down, "I don't think we are reading the same book."

He laughed, "That might be in part because only one of us can actually read."

She looked up from the book then completely and scowled at him.

"What?" he asked, laughing again.

"You won that one. It's 5-5 now. We're tied"

"You're keeping score?" He asked incredulously and she flushed a gorgeous shade of pink.

"No."

"You're lying."

"Fine. You got me I am keeping score, and I warn you, I will win."

Suddenly the door creaked open and Jareen stuck her head through the door.

"Your highness?" she asked and Adam waved her and her sisters in, pointing to the other side of the room.

"Who is that?" Belle asked, her curiosity piqued. She had her head tilted, listening to the sounds of the Nymphs walking in. He had completely forgotten them outside the door. Somehow she had distracted him from the best idea he'd had in years.

He shook his head, amazed. "How do you always do this?"

"What, keeping score? It's easy you start with one and then-"

"No," He cut her off, "How do you always manage to distract me? I was so excited for your surprise, but you made me completely forget about it. It's a good thing you can't beat me in a fight, because I think you're my weakness.

She smiled evilly, "I think I could take you in a fight. You don't seem that tough."

He leaned towards her and turned menacing, "I would tear you apart in a second."

"you wouldn't. I'm too crafty." She said, not even backing away from him an inch and then suddenly he wanted to do nothing more than pull her towards him.

"you're blind."

"You're really loud, I'd hear you coming from a mile away and then I'd set a trap."

"You couldn't find anything to set a trap with."

"If you don't think I could convince every one of your staff to turn against you, you've got another thing coming." He snorted, that was the truth. She had everyone running around for her.

One of the nymphs hit their instrument against a book shelf while setting up and Belle's head jerked over towards them, breaking their connection.

"I do have one leg up on you." he said, leaning closer while she was distracted.

She turned back to him, "What's that?"

"I know what all these people are doing in here."

He leaned away from her and she angled her head towards the Nymphs who had all quieted down and were now looking to him for a signal.

"What's going on?" She asked quietly.

"You have to admit that I'd beat you in a fight first." He said triumphantly and Belle folded her arms. leaning away from him.

"I am more patient than you. You were so excited for this that you abandoned me in a hall way. You will fold before I do." She said confidently.

Adam closed the distance between them that she had created, "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Sitting here next to you is all I need. I could be here for days without complaint."

She shook her head and scoffed. He could be so charming when he was trying. "What if I were to stand up and walk to my room right now?" She asked, challenging him.

"I'd reluctantly let you go, but then you'd never know what surprise I would've had for you."

She scowled feeling her surrender coming on.

"Sometimes I hate being blind." She said

"I know."

"I really would give you a run for your money!" she protested, trying to prolong admitting defeat.

"undoubtedly."

"Fine. You win. Tell me what is going on."

He grinned waving to the Nymphs and they tested the acoustics in the room with a few notes before the entire ensemble began playing softly.

Belle's face completely transformed from reluctant failure to complete astonishment.

"This is-" She stopped and closed her mouth, listening to new instruments entering the mix harmonizing and weaving in and out of one another.

She stood up, walking towards the music and Adam hastily followed her, steering her clear of the furniture. She was mesmerized by the opening notes.

"Who- what- how did you make this happen?" She asked, awestruck.

"Nymphs. They're elusive and impossible to find, but they can play the most beautiful music."

"Elusive and impossible to find huh?"

"Well unless you happen to be their King. One of the very few perks to the job."

He had never seen her speechless before, but here she was swaying gently to the music. Her mind lost in itself and it was enough for him to watch her experience it. He wanted to know her every thought, her every wish, her every fear, and above everything he wanted to know exactly how to get rid of the sadness that she seemed to carry around with her.

He watched as she closed her eyes, watched as she folded her arms around herself comfortable, but he was unable to watch anymore when her eyes filled with tears.

He reached out to her lightly touching her arm and she started and turned to him.

"I believe the score is now 6-5 my favor."

"5-6 your favor." She repeated morosely.

"Will you dance with me?" He asked suddenly overcome with the desire to hold her in his arms.

"I've never danced before."

"Neither have I"

"I'll look horrendous."

"Said the Beauty to the Beast." he retorted.

She finally held out her hand for him to take and he grabbed it, pulling the other one to his shoulder and mirrored her stance, placing his hand on her shoulder instead of her waist like propriety demanded. He held her at a respectful distance not for her sake, but for his. Belle had a different idea, she pulled him in closer by his shoulder, and laid her head on his chest.

He stiffened immediately at her familiar move

"You know I don't like it very much when you call us that." She mumbled into his chest.

"You've got to get over your aversion to that name. I don't plan on changing your nickname."

"No not that, well, that does bother me, but I'm tired of hearing the word "beast"."

He smiled, "well you tease me relentlessly when I refer to myself as the king so I thought I'd give myself a night off."

"You're so difficult." she said.

"I'm difficult? I don't go tearing apart what you decide to call yourself."

He led her in the a basic step, moving in a square pattern, a dance that Vandy had hastily showed him earlier.

"I've known enough Beasts in my life to be able to see them for what they are. You are not a beast."

She followed the dance step easily and the more they danced the less awkward it became and they moved in unison.

"I shudder to think off the places you've spent your life if I am not beastly enough for you."

"I shudder to think about whoever put the idea in your head that you're anything close to beastly." she responded quickly.

"Belle hush now. I'm trying to focus on dancing." If he didn't stop her from talking like that then she really would never leave the castle. He would make sure about that.

"6-6" Was all she said before entrusting the dancing to him. She responded to his every movement, completely following his lead. Her eyes were closed and she looked so free and so lost in the moment.

His arm disobeyed his strict orders and went off of her shoulder and around her back pulling her tighter against his chest. He buried his face into the top of her head completely against every plan he had made, and he didn't feel alone anymore.

Her skin was warm and her hair was silky. She fit right into him like a missing puzzle piece and he wished- so many things at once.

He wished he could tell Belle everything in his heart. He wished Belle could feel the same way. He wished he could escape the curse of the title King of Beasts. He wished that the people coming to rescue her would get eaten on the way here, but most of all He wished that he could live in this moment.

Alarm bells went off in his head, and he could only vaguely tell that they were warning about getting too close to her and getting his heart broken, but he couldn't hear them. He realized then that every ounce of heartbreak was worth it. Every second spent in her arms did things to him that he couldn't understand.

For now and this moment he could pretend that he was Adam and only Adam, and that Belle was there for him and not in spite of him.