Avril made her way down to the maids' common room in a much better mood. After making her peace with Lumière a few days ago, things had been considerably nicer. She was never one for wanting to remain angry with someone, or have someone upset with her. But now that he had accepted her as a friend, she found herself actually looking forward to dinner and being in his presence. Even when she was having a bad day, he was able to make her laugh.
This, of course, did not go unnoticed. The common room was always abuzz with chatter and gossip. But today, as Avril entered the room, many pairs of eyes glanced her way, and the voices died down a bit. Though puzzled, she sent a smile to each of them, and found a place to sit as she waited for Sabine to join her.
Her wait was disturbed by Sophie and Jeanette. They entered the room and raced towards Avril as though they had wolves biting at their skirts, nearly smothering the poor girl when they pounced at the chaise she was sitting on.
"So?" Sophie asked, giddy as a schoolgirl at the beginning of summer.
Avril stared at her blankly, waiting for her to continue. "So…what?"
"So how'd you do it?" Jeanette finished.
"Do what?"
Sophie grinned, amused. "Look at her, as if she doesn't know!"
Avril could not help laughing gently herself. "Forget the 'as if'; I really don't. Would either of you care to explain?"
"Well, Lumière, of course!" Jeanette squealed, bringing just about every eye in the room on them, Avril noticed with a blush. "All of us want to know!" With a few nods and murmurs of agreement behind her, she asked slowly, "How did you win him over? He was practically icy around you before. What did you do to change his mind and catch his interest?"
Avril blushed a darker shade of red at what they could have been suggesting, but she sat tall and sure of herself. "Sorry to disappoint anyone," she said, with the slightest hint of sarcasm, "but we just talked things over, put an end to our differences. I did not 'catch his interest.' He's my friend, just like any other."
Everyone just stared at her for a moment before Sophie and Jeanette led the way down a path of giggles. Avril looked at them, more than a little insulted.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Don't you understand what the word 'friend' means to Lumière?" Sophie countered. "You are on your way to becoming the woman that every single one wants to be!"
"And how exactly would you know that?" a strict female voice asked behind her, silencing each and every girl in the room.
Sophie looked up at her, biting her lip as Sabine held her serious ground. "Well…it's true," the younger girl said. "Everyone knows it, even you."
"And we also know that Monsieur Lumière is not completely incapable of friendship," Sabine said firmly. "Now I suggest you stop acting like children before rumors spread to hurt anyone."
Sophie and Jeanette glanced at Avril apologetically, and Avril nodded with a small smile before they vacated the chaise to make room for Sabine. Sabine, however, gestured for Avril to follow her.
"I don't need any gossipmongers listening in on us," she said, leading the way to her chambers. "It's bad enough that they were already set off by what they assume."
Avril looked at her, worried. "Sabine, you believe me, right?" she asked, unsure. "Lumière is a very nice, kind man; he's totally changed since we had our talk."
That's what I'm worried about, Sabine thought to herself.
"But you know that I would never…do anything to change his mind," Avril continued, insistently. "We just talked, and he really is a friend, I promise!"
"Oh, ma petite, I know that," Sabine said reassuringly. "I trust you, absolutely. You're right, he is a very good friend to anyone he meets, and I'm glad you both settled your differences. Having to be around someone who isn't too fond of you is never a fun thing, and it's nice to see him giving you a chance to show what you can do." She continued softly, "But…he is still going through a bit of a rough time, and…"
"I know," Avril replied, cutting her off. "He still gets very quiet when certain matters come up, but if he doesn't want to tell me, I understand. He doesn't have to. We normally change the subject, and move on."
"Well, yes, that is a good idea," Sabine said, cautiously. "But surely you've heard that Lumière does have a very well-known reputation for being a ladies' man. With him not thinking clearly, he could try to…work his charms, make himself feel better by once again living up to that…"
Avril waved her hand dismissively. "He hasn't tried anything. Wouldn't he have done so already?"
Sabine sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."
Avril smiled warmly. "Really, you don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing. I only want you to know the truth."
Sabine returned the smile, and hugged her gently. "I do, and no matter what, you know you will always have me at your side. But promise me that you will be careful."
"I swear that I will."
ooo
Lumière gestured to his one hand, which had expertly gathered all three glasses comfortably, while Avril managed with the plates.
"You see?" he said, teasingly overconfident. "This is the reason we set them in a triangle. They're much easier to scoop up than they would be in your straight line!"
"I'm being poked fun at by a man who can't fold a simple napkin!" Avril countered jokingly.
"Simple?" Lumière cried. "Ha! Only a scholar can fold them as you do!"
Avril tossed her hair with a grin. "Glad you think so."
Lumière grinned, then teased, "You just wait. Someday I will get it right and then we shall see that ego of yours shrink tenfold!"
Avril gasped, mock insulted. "Some gentleman you are!"
"I certainly do try," Lumière laughed, heading for the kitchen with Avril in tow. Once everything was in there, ready to be washed, he stretched a bit as they returned to the dining room. Looking around, he decided, "I could use a change of scenery."
"You've only been in here serving dinner, for an hour or two," Avril said with a smile. "Is it really so terrible?"
"One or two hours too long," Lumière replied. "I want to get out for a bit, take a walk. I could use some nerve relaxation."
"Sounds like a plan," Avril agreed, walking towards the door. "I'd bundle up though; it's pretty cold out."
"Would you care to join me?"
Avril stopped and turned to him. "Are you sure?" she asked after a moment. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
Lumière smiled gently. "How could you be intruding if I asked you to?"
"Well, even though we're friends, sometimes people need to be alone," Avril explained. "But if you don't mind…"
"Should I take that as a yes?"
Avril mirrored his smile, sweetly. "You should."
Lumière nodded. "Très bien, get your coat and meet me in the foyer."
Avril quickly ran to do so, and soon enough, they were outside walking about the grounds.
"Nothing against this place, it's absolutely stunning," Avril said as they paused to lean against the short wall of the bridge. "But who in their right mind would build a castle on top of a mountain over such a deep gorge?"
"I do not have the slightest idea," Lumière chuckled. "Cogsworth is probably the one to ask in this case. He knows everything about this place."
"Remind me to ask him then," she said, looking out at the other surrounding areas. "Still, it sure is beautiful all the same."
"Indeed, there is no finer view anywhere else," Lumière agreed. Glancing at her, he added with a smirk, "And all the more beautiful with a lovely lady to share it with."
Avril could not suppress a grin. "From what I hear, you must have said that to many other 'lovely ladies,' huh?"
Lumière shrugged casually. "Perhaps, but not as many since…"
"Since…?" she asked when he trailed off.
"It does not matter," Lumière replied softly, immediately looking down into the gorge. "Dieu, a fall down there could break someone in half, oui?"
"Since what, Lumière?"
Lumière looked at her, as though confused. "What?"
Avril hesitated. She had sworn she would not pressure him, but both curiosity and concern were getting the best of her. "You…always avoid talking about what's troubling you. I feel bad, seeing you so upset."
Lumière laughed shakily. "I said it does not matter; do not worry."
"But I do," Avril said, touching his arm gently causing him to startle, but not pull away. "I hate to see my friends like this. Besides, if it doesn't matter, then why does it enter your mind in every conversation we have?"
"Some things can not be helped," he said. "It happened, and there is nothing you can do to change it."
"Maybe not, but perhaps…if you talk about it, you will feel better?" she suggested. When he looked at her, his expression unreadable, she added, "You know you don't have to…but try me. Go ahead."
Lumière kept silent. She had been a very good friend to him, which was surprising after what he had put her through before they made amends. He trusted her, of that he was certain. Maybe she was right. If he brought everything he had been feeling out into the open, maybe that would ease his heart.
Turning away, closing his eyes tightly, he paced a bit as he spoke. "You…figured it out the night we reconciled. You did replace someone very dear to me. She is…was the love of my life."
Avril looked down. She had guessed that it was a woman to whom he was very close. "What happened?"
"We…had a fight, and she ran away," he said, his voice unsteady. "I did not think much of it at first. She had a habit of doing that, running off somewhere to calm down, and then coming back when she felt better. But I have been searching for her for over a month now, nearly two…and she is nowhere to be found."
Avril gaped at him, wide-eyed. "She just left? No word or anything?"
"No," he said with a sigh. "She had a fiery temper, and a passion to match," he added reminiscently
"She sounds…interesting."
Lumière laughed. "She was wonderful, everything a man could want: passionate, beautiful…mysterious and fun…amazing. She was like no other woman I had ever known."
Avril smiled. "No wonder you loved her."
"I adored her," he said, growing quiet again. "But…life intervened. I had proposed some time ago, and she really wanted to be married. But with all of the balls and celebrations, the royal wedding, the birth of the new prince, ambassadors and dignitaries flooding in…it was all too much. I wanted to wait till things settled down a bit before we took the big step of getting married."
Avril winced, sensing where this was headed. "Is that what you fought about?"
He nodded. "She did not want to hear 'wait' anymore, I suppose," he concluded. "I just wish I had said yes, run off that night to find a vicar even. If I did…she would still be here." Realizing what he had said, he quickly added, "I am sorry, I should not have…"
"No, no, it's all right!" Avril reassured. "You were very much in love with her. Feelings like those don't leave you that easily, and I don't blame you for being so cold because of them in the beginning. It must have hurt so much."
"I know, but it was not your fault," he said. "I did not mean to sound that way."
"No offense taken; I'm glad you told me," she said. "But to be honest, you shouldn't feel so guilty about any of this, even her running away."
Lumière looked at her curiously. "Really?"
Avril nodded. "If she didn't leave so suddenly, you two could have talked things out. But she just left you without a word or a trace, and you did everything you could to find her. It isn't as though you let her go without caring.
"Of course it still hurts, but don't feel guilty or wrong. It's all right to miss her, but take the first steps towards starting anew, you know?"
Lumière gazed at her, grateful for her words of encouragement. Avril understood everything that he had been feeling since Babette had disappeared. He felt the burden slowly lift from his shoulders as she spoke. She was right, there was no shame or wrong in moving on. If Babette could do it, why would it be wrong for him to do it too?
Smiling gently, he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Merci," he said. "That does help a lot."
Avril looked up at him, taken aback by his show of gratitude. Gazing into his eyes, lost in the joy of seeing him truly happy, because of her, she smiled. "No trouble at all," she murmured.
Lumière's breath caught in his throat. Here, in the moonlight, happy for the first time in so long…a beautiful, caring woman so close to him, it felt invigorating. He reached to stroke her hair absently. Cradling her head tenderly, he could not resist kissing her, softly at first, giving her a chance to refuse him.
Avril was hesitant, knowing that such an action could easily be the emotion of the moment. He had been denied this for so long, and now there she was before him. Sabine's voice was ringing clearly in her mind, warning her to stop this now…but Avril dismissed it quickly. This didn't feel so terrible; to be honest, it felt very nice. She even found herself the tiniest bit upset when he pulled away.
"I am sorry…if I insulted you," he breathed, though his voice showed little to no regret of what his words implied.
Avril bit her lip nervously before she grinned. "You didn't have to stop," she said, reaching to draw him in again.
Lumière laughed gently. "One kiss, and suddenly she is an expert at this as well?"
Avril blushed profusely. "I think it may take a bit more teaching, but I learn very quickly, as you know," she said, giggling a bit at how uncharacteristically flirtatious she sounded.
"That works perfectly then," Lumière replied, elated to feel like his old self again. "Because I, mademoiselle, have been told that I am an excellent teacher."
"So prove it."
Lumière held her close to kiss her again, gradually growing more insistent than he was before. This was his moment to move on, and fortunately, he would have Avril by his side as time went on. Easing his pain would be much easier now that he had someone to help him through it. At least he would not be alone…not anymore.