Rewrite: 25/03/17

Over the course of a few weeks... Beau and Angela found solace in each other's company while spending time together in the library... A place where they both enjoyed despite not necessarily enjoying each other... While that was the case until Beau slowly found himself first fascinated, then somewhat charmed by Angela...

It started slowly to say the least… With him trying to avoid her and her him… But the times where circumstances demanded they interact… Beau had to admit… He never actually hated any of them… And over time, Beau theorized Angela had arrived at the same conclusion… In fact he was certain she rather liked them… There was just something about how she'd always be present just as he would leave his room. Not right in front of the door but rather… Just happening to be at the stairwell leading to the rest of the castle or leaning against one of the statues as he came in from the dining hall… Initially he had found it alarming but her frequent invitations to the library made him realize that he did actually like her company…

Yes...she was a beast... Bits of random animals mixed into one... and that was what Beau had saw her as initially... An animal... An animal who just happened to be able to talk and occasionally stand on two feet... However, as they spent more tie together… He started to noticed flecks of humanity within her... The vulnerability, the self-consciousness, the intelligence... Yes intelligence... He noticed that when she wasn't awkwardly looking at him or snarling and making strange noises… And when they were talking... Really talking and not him approaching her and she recoiling… She could be incredibly insightful and passionate. Put aside that hairy, terrifying exterior and he could swear that what he thought was a monster had a soul... A very vulnerable, human soul... almost like she was a kindred spirit of some sort...

Kindred spirit she was… Beau noted it was quite humorously painful to watch Angela struggle through normal human interactions… And then he realized it was harder for Angela struggle through normal human interactions without being unnecessarily mean and awkward... She would growl, or make rather cutting comments but Beau would then see how she would lower her gaze a few seconds later or how her ears would press flat against her head for the rest of the day… Almost like she was ashamed… He also noticed how she always had this strange look of fear in her eyes whenever he attempted to talk to her or even approach her...Hell… she had that looked even when she approached him… It was then Beau came to the conclusion that he should gentle with her… He limited his stares, he tried his hardest not to shudder when they made contact… And he actively went to her for company… And slowly… Those strange tendencies seemed to fade… Sure she had bad days when she would snarl and pace around like a real animal, scaring the living daylights out of him... But those days occurred less and less and finally they just didn't happen at all... So Beau was left with only the good days where she was surprisingly nice, making witty comments, acting like any woman her age. But the most surprising had to be that one night where she had personally brought a laden dinner tray to his room and after a little incoherent mumbling to the floor… Apologized for the time she had tried to break down his door…And that was the moment Beau realized Angela had the capacity to be sweet…

Angela of course tried to keep these moments hidden but Beau's observant nature soon discovered little things that gave it away. That despite all the cutting remarks she gave him and how much she assured him that she preferred being alone. She really did prefer his company… It was quite obvious really…

The way her ears would perk up when he addressed her, how her tail would duck between her legs as he smiled at her, that shimmer of delight in her eyes when he decided to join her in the library... Beau looked up from his book… and then grinned… She was doing it right now actually… Despite her ladylike position with her legs crossed and her tail tucked between them... She had the slightest of smiles as she flipped through the pages of her book… Beau chuckled.

"She tries too hard..." he thought biting his lip.

"What's so funny?" Angela asked from behind her book, her eyebrows raised suspiciously.

Beau shook his head.

"Nothing... the context is just funny..."

Angela lowered her book before smiling slyly.

"An interesting to say…"

"And why is that?"

"I'm pretty sure Romeo and Juliet is more well known as one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies… so for you to find that funny... Its rather disturbing to me…"

Beau blinked before checking the title of his book. He sighed,

"You got me..."

"I sure did..."

The two paused, not quite sure how to continue.

"But now that I think about it, Romeo and Juliet is quite humorous..." Angela shrugged.

"In what way?"

"Well... They fall in love with each other instantly."

"You find that humorous... Most people would find that touching." Beau pointed out.

Angela rolled her eyes.

" True, but what I found humorous was that there was no explanation, no real reasoning for their romance... Besides they only spent one night together just proclaiming their love for each other and nothing else before killing themselves in the name of love... It's quite... It's quite silly..."

"Oh so you think love at first sight is silly?" Beau rebutted.

Angela blushed, something she found herself doing quite often now after Beau stumbled into her life.

"No... Its just... It just doesn't exist..." she said softly but upon noticing Beau's look, quickly added on.

" I mean, who could fall in love THAT quickly... I think their relationship is more of lust than love..."

Beau listened to Angela's ramblings intently and rubbed his chin.

"You do have a point..." he admitted and Angela's face morphed into one of mock surprise...

"I have a point? The intelligent university student isn't going to debate with me about this? Who are you and what have you done with Beau?" she teased.

"I assure you that I'm quite myself, its just that I have greater things in mind than reading and debating at the moment..."

Angela raised an eyebrow, there was nothing, NOTHING she knew of that could tear Beau away from his beloved books...

"And that would be?"

Beau smiled broadly and pointed at the window.

"It's snowing..."

Before Angela knew it, Beau had sprung from his chair and in an act that surprised that both… grabbed her paws... She tried her best not to gasp out loud or recoil... Did he... Is he... touching her? No one had touched her in over ten years… She had almost forgotten how…

"C'mon! Lets go!"

"Go?" Angela asked in surprise, her mind still in a blissful confused state. "Go where?"

"Haven't you played in snow before? Its fun!" and before Angela could protest she was pulled eagerly down the stairs and to the entrance of the courtyards. Giving her a look of pure excitement, Beau grabbed his cloak and ran into the snow...

Angela watched rigidly from the doorway as Beau, like a child, pranced around wildly.

"Well aren't you coming?" he called, his dark hair already turning a silvery shade of white.

Angela blinked and retreated backwards slightly... To be honest, the snow didn't look inviting at all... it was so wet and cold... Besides... What did he mean by fun? How could you have fun in something as boring and as simple as snow? Angela looked away... She had never played in snow before... Her parents never encouraged outdoor activities and opted to keep her within the warm, clean castle walls. Also... no one had ever invited her to do this sort of thing anyway... So she never knew how to... Angela lowered her ears…This was so embarssing…

Beau eyed Angela carefully as she shyly retreated a few steps backwards... He recognized that look on her face... She was being hesitant about joining him...

"Its like she doesn't know how to have fun..." he thought a little exasperatedly... Seriously, Beau was starting to think Angela had been living under a rock for most of her childhood... How could anyone be so socially impaired? Maybe she just needed a little encouragement... Smiling reassuringly, he reached out his hand.

"Join me?"

There was silence... and then she spoke...

"Beau... I don' t think I'll be joining you..."

"Why not?" he asked genuinely disappointed, he wanted her to enjoy the snow with him. It was a family tradition that every snowfall Beau and his father would immerse themselves within the beauty of winter... Winter was Beaus' mother's favorite time of the year and playing in the snow with her family, was her favorite past time... So doing this little homage alone... Would be so... different... Fine, if reassurance won't work, he would use other methods...

"At least come out to see the snowflakes... they're beautiful..." Beau invited gesturing at those that fell around him.

"no..."

"Please?"

Angela tried to ignore Beau's wide-eyed stare... She would not give into such a childish request... She knew better than this... She... She... She groaned and made her way down the steps... The look on his face was just so hopeful and Angela was sure that the disappointment would have shattered him if she had declined...

"You're an idiot..." Angela chided herself before trying to catch a snowflake within her huge paws...

"No no no no! Not like that! Like this!" Beau reprimanded before throwing his head back and sticking out his tongue... Uncomfortably, Angela copied him... Praying her servants weren't around to witness this embarrassing spectacle... However, she was surprised to discover that her long and mobile tongue did make it easier to catch and see the snowflakes and to her surprise... they were beautiful... like tiny crystals carved into the shape of a blossoming flower... One never similar to the other... However, before she could even tell Beau of her exciting discovery, something cold smacked into the side of her face, getting snow all over nose, fur and eyes.