Beauty and the Beast is and will always be one of Brienne's all-time favorite films, both the animated movie and now its recent live action version, which she and Tormund are watching now. It does not bother her that some songs were changed slightly, she sings along to all of them. She still sighs during the couple's waltz, cringes every time Gaston appears and cries when the prince dies and then comes back to life as a human being. Although Brienne loves Belle to bits - independent, dreamer, brave - she has always felt a bit like the Beast.
"The Beast?" Tormund asks, confused, as the credits roll, after helping her wipe her happy tears. "Why would you do that? Such a heavenly creature like you."
She rolls her eyes, but smiles, accepting the compliment. Of course he would say that. She does not say anything, choosing to shrug instead.
"I mean it, Brienne," he continues, serious, which makes her turn her attention back to him. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you should have had hordes of men fighting to have you."
"Well, maybe, I guess. Who wouldn't like to have that? But no, it never happened. Men never found me attractive, no matter how I tried to make myself look less… ugly."
"I don't think I'll ever understand how a gorgeous woman like you could have spent most of her life being looked down upon by these Southern morons."
Brienne holds Tormund's hand between both of hers. "Thank you, love. But that still happened."
He shakes his head in disbelief. "They're all idiots."
"They are. Lucky me that you aren't, though," Brienne finishes, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Oh, I'd be a right fool if I didn't have you." He lets go of her hand to hold her in his arms and give her one of his trademark couch snogs.
Brienne had told Tormund already how she had spent a great part of her life been judged by her appearance, pretty much like the Beast, and how, after a long history of frustrated (blind) dates, fake infatuation, general mockery and basically being let down, she had decided love was not for her.
It all had changed when he came along. At first, she did not believe he was being honest about his advances and compliments, that he was really attracted by her, but sooner rather than later she was convinced he was the one for her. Gods know when or if she will ever meet another man like him!
Tormund breaks their kiss and their embrace to get up and eject the Blu-ray disc. Suddenly he adds, "Besides, if someone here should be considered a beast, that would be me."
"And why is that?" she asks with a frown, curious.
"Well, I'm a Free Folk man, after all," he replies, gesturing to himself with his free hand. "Or, as people from south prefer to put, a Wildling."
"Oh." If Brienne has to be honest to herself, she had done her bit of prejudgment herself, for which she had apologized Tormund once they first got together. She even had stopped referring to him and his people as Wildlings. If there is one thing Beauty and the Beast teaches, it is how not to judge people by their appearance. She then gets up, stands beside him and puts an arm around his shoulder. "That may be true, Tormund, but people only need time to get to really know you, and they will see what an amazing, brilliant man you are. Just like Belle did with the Beast. Ask everyone who knows you. Ask Jon Snow. Ask me."
He stays quiet for a few seconds, only staring at her, a faint blush on his face. She loves it when she renders him speechless, which does not happen very often.
"And let's be honest," Brienne continues, taking advantage of Tormund's silence. "Has it ever crossed your mind you'd end up 'stealing' a Southern woman? And yet you have, my dear, and keeps on stealing me."
"The best of them all," he says proudly, and kisses her again. She sighs into the kiss, relieved that he is not feeling insecure anymore. "Thank you, Brienne."
"No worries. And since you've been a wonderful boyfriend tonight and put up with me being silly and all, now we can watch anything you want."
Tormund's face lights up adorably, like a boy who has just been given his favorite candy. He goes to the rack, finds what he was been looking for and shows her the case. "The Fate of the Furious?"
Brienne never cared much about The Fast and the Furious franchise, but she knows Tormund loves it. At least she can cuddle up with him if she falls asleep during the movie. Maybe lay my head on his lap? Why not? Yes, she thinks she can make it.
"Will you mind me asking the odd question about the plot or the characters now and then?" she inquires with a grin.
"Not at all!" Tormund's enthusiastic answer makes her smile even wider.
"Awesome! The Fate of the Furious it is."