Oh, about the previous chapter, I should have said the reference was from a deleted scene of Dracula Untold - Vlad/Mirena :)

Anyway, onward!

Summary: Gaston's three-day-anniversary gift to Belle. It doesn't go as planned.
Number of years married: 3 days


~:~ An unexpected gift ~:~

She should have known leaving him alone in the house for one day was a bad decision. Papa needed help so she'd be out all day and Gaston was incredibly perfectly fine with that. He even had a smile on his face!

Oh she should have suspected something was up that sleeve of his.

"What… am I looking at?" she asked, staring a little bit open-mouthed at what proudly sat above the fireplace.

His grin was wide and he was practically secreting giddiness. "My Belle, my gift to you- us!"

She nodded but couldn't nod. "Gift?"

"Well, our wedding was on such short notice," he began. "I didn't have time – apart from the ring – to give you a real gift. So…" He motioned to the object on the wall.

"You- today?"

"Yes," he grinned. "Do you like it?"

If he was any good at reading body language, he would have gotten his answer right away. She had not moved since she walked in the front door. She had even dropped her basket from the shock at seeing such a thing on her wall. She had tried to glare angrily at him, trying to demand why on earth he had done such a thing. But he was too excited.

So, no, she did not like it one bit.

"Uhm, w-well…" She winced as she tried to put it out nicely. "See, Gaston- i-it is.. it's thoughtful?... but…" She sighed in defeat and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't like it."

He looked incredulous. "How can you not? This is a gift of my many talents."

"I know but Gaston-"

"No, I slaved too long over this- and all for you."

She put her hands on her hips at that. She scoffed, "Alright, do not dare to pin this on me. I said I would marry you. I said I would live my life with you. But Gaston, this is a-"

"A prize, a gift of my-"

"Talents, so you said," she huffed.

"Oh, Belle, can't you just appreciate-"

"Your talents, you've mentioned that. But Gaston, you've killed an innocent-"

"I'm a hunter. I hope you very well knew this before marrying me," he chuckled.

She wanted to pull her hair out. "It's one thing to be a hunter and only bring the meat home. It's another to- to- to-"

Lefou knocked on the door. "H-h-hi… uhm, I heard this- this- thing from my place- well, Stanley's but I wanted to see if you two were getting on alrigh-" He stopped talking when he found himself with an armful of two giant and pokey antlers. "What is this?"

"The solution to our problem," Belle huffed. She turned to Gaston who was not looking at all happy having lost this argument. "Your work will not be wasted. Lefou here, being a very good friend, will take care of your gift-"

She held up a finger to the hunter who was ready to continue the fight.

"- a thoughtful gift you have given him because you wouldn't be where you are now without him," she finished, glaring at him – challenging him to speak.

He grumbled and his lip curled but what she said was sort of true… okay, a lot true. Damn her.

Lefou looked to his friend, a small hopeful glint in his eye. "R-really, Gaston?"

Belle raised her eyebrow at her husband. "Yes, Gaston. Have you finally shown your gratitude for your comrade's deeds all these years?"

The hunter narrowed his eyes dangerously at her. He wouldn't back down so easily. No, not him. Not the famous Gaston. No. She'd have to try harder to break him. "What if it isn't such a gift? What if it was a mistake?"

Lefou looked to Belle and sensed he himself wasn't meant to be in the conversation. He slowly backed out of the room-

Or at least tried to. The woman got ahold of his sleeve. She had a very strong grip.

"Oh, but you see, Gaston," she smiled stiffly. "If it was a mistake, then you are not being noble at all. Instead you are being a pathetic boy. Did I marry a pathetic child?"

Oh, her innocent look was good, Lefou thought. He glanced at Gaston who had a deep scowl on his face.

"No, you didn't," he ground out. "Fine."

Lefou felt that if he himself were a dog, he'd have his ears flat against his head and his tail between his legs when Gaston looked at him. He gripped onto this gift in his hands for dear life.

"This is a… gift.. I give to you, Lefou." He glared at Belle and his upper lip twitched. "As a thank-you for… saving.. my.. life."

Lefou watched the man's muscles flex in his crossed arms. He tried to not look like how this buck might have looked right before Gaston killed it. He chuckled nervously, "Well, uhm, thank you, Gaston." He cleared his throat and glanced at Belle. "R-right g-g-good man y-ya married, B-Belle."

He flinched at the slap on his shoulder. "See? A good man, here," Gaston boomed with what Lefou hoped was laughter. "Am I forgiven?"

"You're only forgiven if you promise to never bring a dead animal's anything back in this house again," she said sternly.

The hunter's shoulders sagged a mere second before he grumbled out his agreement, "Fine."

And he steered Lefou out of the house.


Belle hoped he would keep his promise, and he did. Of course Chapter 12, I believe, is the exception x)

Thanks for reading!