What's a comma?

"Why do professors insist on assigning homework the bloody first day of class?" He groaned, staring at his blank screen. "And it had to be my English class."

Belle shrugged, working on her own computer across from him at the table. Her books scattered around her. She wasn't in a good mood.

"I'd rather English than this public speaking class I have to take." She muttered dryly. "Why couldn't I have gotten into my Medieval Literature class." She complained.

"I still don't understand what happened, you were set to get there way before the office opened and others got override forms and you didn't?" He asked. She averted her gaze, not replying. He gave her a sad smile. "It'll be fine lass, maybe it'll be good for you?" He tried.

"And maybe you should get back to writing your paper." She replied back a bit harshly.

He nodded, getting a sense to Belle as to when she wanted to be left alone. It would be a learning process figuring out the curious brunette. He turned back to his blank word document.

His teacher had wanted to get to know her students, she wanted them to write a page about a topic that fascinated them and then relate it to a book they've read.

Killian was drawing a complete blank and it was due before class on Wednesday.

He'd usually put it off, but he had plans tomorrow, his first day and a part time job so he couldn't afford to put this off, he wanted to start things off on the right foot, not scrambling to catch up for a first bad grade.

But he literally couldn't think of anything to say, anything that fascinated him or a single book he's read.

"Alright Killian, spit it out." Belle droned. "I can hear you're writers block from here." She was looking up from her screen.

"I don't want to bother you lass." He started.

"You made me breakfast and did the dishes." She reminded him "I can at least help you get started on a paper. Mind you, I will not ever write you a paper, I don't care if you've been poisoned by a magic plant." She proclaimed.

"Of course. Cheaters never win." He agreed. "I have to write a paper about something I find fascinating and relate it to a novel I've read." He explained. "And I can't think of a single bloody idea."

Belle rolled her eyes. "What are you studying?" She droned, as if it was obvious.

"Mechanical engineering." He replied. "But I'm thinking of picking up a minor in electrical while I'm at it." He says, recalling his conversation with Liam just the other morning about how the ship he was on was wired incorrectly.

"What are you going to do with it?" She pressed. "Any end goals?" He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well, I was hoping to belong to a firm that designed and built ships, all kids of ships, sailboats, yatches, even the army vessel my brother commands-" He blinked looking at her. "You think I should write about that?" He asked.

"There must be a dozen different books you've read about ships." She reminds him in a sing song voice, the lass was smirking.

"How the devil did you do that?" He asked.

"A little bit of brainstorming always helps get the juices flowing, besides it was obvious by the look of your room, what, did I see two bottled ships in there?" She teases.

"Perhaps." He muttered quietly, starting his paper. He couldn't pick between the Jewel and the Jolly, what was he supposed to do?

The moment the first words hit, he was on a roll. He chose Moby Dick as his novel to relate, describing the ship and how it could have been fixed to catch such a beast, as well as the Titanic and the obvious flaws it had had with its structure according to a book he once read about the topic.

Before long, he had a 3-page paper sitting happily in front of him. He grinned triumphantly at it.

"Need a proof reader?" Belle asked.

"It should be fine, don't you have your own work to do?" He asked.

"I'm procrastinating." She replied. "Give it here, I'm curious." She admitted. He turned his laptop to face her, getting up to get himself a sandwich for dinner.

"Killian." Belle said suddenly, in a voice laced with a fair bit of terror. "What is this?"

He blinked. "Is it that bad? I'm not much of a writer, and its filled with some technical jargon but-" She cut him off with a fierce glare.

"You didn't use a single comma." She said as if he'd actually shot her. "Not a single one." He swallowed.

"I'm not much of a grammar person." He admitted sheepishly.

"And I'm not much of a math person and I still tip 15% to waiters." She replied dryly.

"I didn't see the use." He tried again.

It worked even less than his first excuse. He could hear her typing, reworking and practically tearing his writing apart. "Commas are used to break off trains of thoughts, allow pauses and do at least a dozen other things!" She insisted. "How have you even gotten this far without-"

She dropped her head into her hand.

"Killian." She droned.

He stayed by the counter, honestly afraid Belle would murder him.

"Well. You said 'Well' instead of 'We'll'. Apostrophes are a thing." She reminded him.

An annoying thing.

"Sorry lass, won't happen again." He promised.

"I doubt it."

"Belle is there something wrong?" He counters, her snapping up to look at him. "You seem unusually tense." He explained. "Is this about not getting off the waitlist?" He asked.

"No. It's about the fact that you can't use an apostrophe. They exist you know." She nearly growled. "You've known me for days, so don't think you-"

He raised his hands.

"My apologies." He said quickly. "I didn't mean to overstep."

Belle put her head down.

"Sorry. I'm just stressed. I really want to take my class. And it was some stupid thing I didn't do that stopped me." She admitted.

"No, you did everything you could." He reminded her, but little did he know, it was only the beginning of Belle's rant.

"I could have done more if that-that-stupid jerk!" She exclaimed in outrage.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I hate how she says Gaston's name and her insistence that she get a skim milk latte, what's the point of that. She touches him and her hair is so pretty and ugggg!" Belle groaned her head landing on his computer keyboard.

"Lass." Killian tried, nervous as to how to approach the obviously stung out girl. "You shouldn't be so stressed so soon into the year." He reminded her. "It's the bloody first day."

She glared at him, head still on the computer.

"What I mean is, do you have an assignment due?" He asked.

"No."

"Then go relax, take a bath or call Ruby and go out, do something because it's too early to be so stressed." He advised.

"Maybe you're right."

"Lass, I'm most certainly am right." He said. "Now go. Get ready and go out, make up with this Gassy bloke, or take a nice shower and read a book, whatever will make you happy."

"It's Gaston." She corrected, getting up. "Thanks."

"No problem, thank you for helping with my essay, I appreciate it."

Belle smirked.

Killian barely noticed Belle as she had taken his advised, bathed and disappeared into her room in pajamas, probably to read one of her-

He suddenly got an email.

13 most useful comma rules.

Killian smirked in the direction of her door. Then a thought occurred to him.

"How the bloody hell did you get my email?!"


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

This will probably be my last post of the year! I hope everyone is doing well.

Thank you for the great reviews, I love the support this is getting. It seems most are in agreement over Sophia and Gaston. I wonder what could possibly be in store for Belle.

By the way, I'm participating in CS January Joy on tumblr, so keep a look out for a random one-shot sometime in January.

Next chapter will be a bit more into Killian's life, since I know I've been a little Belle heavy.

Don't forget to review, I take prompts.

~Luna