Part 1 of 2
Enjoy! :)
Summary: The aftermath of Magnifique's fall OR Lefou's anxiety that Belle is going to beat him into next week, Belle's concern for her injured husband, Gaston becoming very, very irritable through it all.
Number of years married: 13
Sons: 4
Daughters: 2
~:~ Gaston and the fall ~:~
"Oh no! Oh no!" Lefou repeated to himself as he jumped from his horse and raced all the way down the path to the settling cloud of dust. "Oh no! Gaston! Gaston! Are you alive?! Are you hurt?! Are you killed?! Answer me!"
The hunter grunted. "I'm fine. Stop panicking."
Lefou tried to nod but he was soon overcome by his friend's current predicament. He rounded the fallen man and horse and caught the reins.
"Lefou, don't-" Gaston tried to warn.
Magnifique followed the command and tried to get up.
Gaston grunted at the weight that was lifted from him, but again he couldn't worm out of the way. He held in his cry as the horse returned to the ground. He glared at Lefou who soon came into view looking as panicked as ever. "He already tried when we first went down." He attempted to shift as a rock dug into his side. "Go get Belle."
Lefou turned white as a ghost. "No, no. She's not- I don't have to- Here, I can get you up myself."
"Lefou-"
He hurried to Gaston's side and gripped his shoulders.
Gaston already braced himself for the attempt Lefou was going to make. He endured one tug and he knew his leg was in danger of breaking. "Lefou, stop. Stop. You're making it worse-" He regained his breath after he was returned to the ground. He craned his neck and looked up at Lefou who still looked very worried. "Go get Belle."
He heard his captain's repeated command but he couldn't find it in him to go get said woman.
"Lefou, please."
No, there had to be another way. "I could ride and get Monsieur Jean-"
"Villeneuve's too far," he grunted. "We're closer to the house. Get Belle."
He was adamant he wasn't going to get the missus. "I could get Nathaniel and Gilbert-"
"Lefou, for pity's sake, she's not going to clip your ear," he groaned. "Just go and get her. Don't tell her why. She'll see soon enough."
"But-"
"Dammit! I have rocks digging into my back. I cannot feel my leg. And I am covered in dust. Get. My. Wife."
Very reluctantly and as like a wolf with its tail between its legs, he hurried on his "trusty" steed to the house. He tumbled off his horse and recovered himself then firmly knocked on the door. He knew Belle would figure something was wrong if he just barged in.
The door opened. "Lefou," she greeted. Then she glanced around. "Where's Gaston?"
Lefou tried not to look nervous/anxious/panicky. He refrained from tugging at his collar as he came up with his lie... Maybe the truth wouldn't hurt. At least not the whole truth.
"He's asked that you come with me," he said.
She frowned. "Why?"
"Preferably with Daisy."
"Lefou-"
"And the wagon."
"The wagon?" she repeated. She called back into the house. "Nathie, watch the house. I'll be back."
"Yes, Mama," the boy returned obediently.
She closed the door behind her. "Lefou, what happened?" she asked and she didn't sound surprised to hear that her husband and his sidekick ended up in some sort of mischief.
Gaston in mischief and she in adventures. They were really a pair.
She could only hope her children didn't desire adventure and mischief.
Lefou trailed her as she headed to the stables. She led Daisy from her post and secured her to the wagon. She looked at Lefou. "Am I going to be hauling a dead deer?"
He gave a hum. "Something like that."
She shook her head and muttered to herself about her idiot husband. She climbed on the wagon and started off down the road following Lefou and his black-and-white horse.
Gaston was counting the number of rocks he could feel digging into him when he heard the familiar pull of the wagon. He heaved a sigh of relief.
Belle felt her heart stutter then speed up as she took in the sight. The large black horse on his side with Gaston trapped underneath. She barely stopped Daisy before she jumped from the wagon and rushed to his side.
He winced as her fingers brushed against the bruises that had formed from the landing on the side of his face. He met her worried brown eyes. "I'm fine. I'm fine," he sought to drive away her fear. "Just help me up."
"But we can't get you up without getting him up," she said. She bit her lip and looked very conflicted.
The hunter was close to having enough with these weepy sorts. Yes, he fell. No, nothing major felt broken. Yes, he was stuck. Could they please stop obsessing over his current state and get the horse off of him? Was that so hard to ask? He had been baking in the hot sun for about two hours. Rocks of all shapes felt permanently imbedded in his side. His lungs were probably lined with a fine layer of dust. He was very miserable and just shy of snapping.
He didn't have time for Lefou's panicking state or Belle's let's-analyze-the-situation state.
He let out a growl.
Belle heard his frustration and looked to Lefou. "Let's urge Magnifique up and over-"
"I tried that," he cut in. "Sat right back down."
She bit her lip. "Which leg is hurt?" She watched Gaston for an answer.
He couldn't filter the rude remark. "Well if you would bother in opening your eyes, you can clearly see that it is my right leg."
She sent him a glare. "I wasn't talking about you."
"Left," he grumbled in annoyance.
After what felt like an eternity of trial and error, Gaston finally settled against the pillows of their bed. He grunted and griped as Belle dabbed his cuts with alcohol.
She shushed him then sighed. "Lefou's gone to get the physician."
He groaned. "I don't need a physician." He reached out and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "I trust your skills."
She gave a soft snort. "My skills don't include broken bones."
"My leg is not broken," he tried.
She pursed her lips and gave him a pointed look and he saw the worry for him she was trying to hide. "The physician is coming whether you like it or not."
He watched her as she fell silent for a long moment. He knew what she was going to say.
"Magnifique's leg is beyond repair," she continued quietly.
"That horse has been through a lot with me. I should have known better than to take him. I could have easily done the trip on foot." He grimaced when she poured a small amount on a deep cut. "Belle-" He hissed then glared at her. "You did that on purpose."
"Hush," she said again. She glanced at him. "You would know it if I did something on purpose."
He grumbled and turned his head away from her incessant touches. "Belle, honestly, I'm fine."
She let out a slightly fed up sigh.
He knew he should feel guilty at already causing her so much pain, but dammit! He should be able to clean these damn cuts on his own!
"Gaston, please-" she bit. "Just hold still."
A distant ruckus reached his ears and he tried to worm his way out of this. "Belle, honestly- I'm fine. You know, I think our children need the supervision. Not me-"
"I will leave when the physician comes in," she said firmly. "As far as our children go, I'm sure Lefou is handling it just fine."
Gaston snorted to that. "He's probably out in the stables, hiding behind a stack of hay."
She gave him a curious look.
He shook his head and tried to chuckle his slip-up off. "Eh, just a little old joke we had when we were kids."
Nathaniel opened the door. "Mama, the physician's here."
"Well, Gaston, you're in luck," she huffed. She gathered up the strewn cloths and suddenly Gaston wanted her to stay. She brushed off his grasp of her skirt. "I'll be outside."
