Lumiere reached into the fireplace to light it with his hand. Cogsworth crossed his arms. ‘Is it really necessary to make them meet every night?’ he asked.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcWwjLAU2V
‘But it is going so well, Cogsworth.’ Lumiere turned his back to the burning fireplace and held his candles up with pride. ‘Love is in the air.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwBlSDa6hR
‘There is no way these two men will-’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7cgs3Ix6F
‘Ah, but in Paris-’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qa3ZhpRHG
‘I don’t want to hear about Paris, you glorified tinderbox! Paris this, Paris that. We’re not there, and I doubt Paris is actually like that. Do you really think the master would be the type to fall for that oaf?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK6jtfdC3t
‘Why do you always doubt me, Cogsworth?’ Lumiere snapped, leaning closer to Cogsworth and holding one candle before him as a gentle reminder of his capability.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mDj5YL59G
Cogsworth leaned in even closer, murder in his eyes. ‘Because you’re wasting time with these flights of fancy when we should be looking for a lady who can break the spell before the final rose petal falls!’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9Lqvk1kZE
Less than two centimetres of air separated the two servants. ‘If the Beast comes to love Gaston and he loves him in turn, we can be human again!’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7I9acytgN
As Cogsworth stood closer while pointing at him, Lumiere’s pointy nose poked his. ‘And we’ll never be human again if you don’t quit acting like a naive… imbecile!’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkw5noim2I
Lumiere cast his long eyelashes down as he stared at Cogsworth’s lips. The flames in his candles burned brighter. They illuminated the face he had grown accustomed to as a form of beauty after years of finding it strange. The clock began ticking faster, his pendulum swinging back and forth with the speed of a rattle in a bratty child’s hand. Concern painted itself on Lumiere’s face.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRfqI1TMDe
Cogsworth pushed Lumiere away. ‘Go back to your feather duster,’ he grumbled, crossing his arms again until the ticking slowed. He groaned and reached behind to wind the key and fix the time.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4GNzIlRTh
Lumiere’s lights went out and he dropped his hands, his entire body drooping. For the first time in a long time, he said nothing in response to Cogsworth’s words.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ697EfHHdca
A few days later, Gaston and the Beast strolled to the archery range for more practice. Gaston grabbed a different bow this time, a simple yew longbow.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2fyNkSFIL
A bird had abandoned a nest on one of the targets. When Gaston saw a baby bird peeking out from the nest, He aimed his bow at it. Just as he was about to release the arrow, the Beast pushed the bow to the side, causing the arrow to hit the snow right next to them. He then raced to the nest to pick it up.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ptIwjhzoK
‘Have you never hunted a bird before?’ Gaston asked incredulously.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdSVDP5EwH
‘Baby birds are different,’ the Beast mumbled.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLceoozk96
Gaston was going to retort with some insult against the Beast’s masculinity, but the baby birds in his hands were kind of adorable in an odd, ugly, misshapen way.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSv1B0FNxD
Additionally, the image of a big, bulky, hairy monster holding a nest of baby birds as if they were his own children was certainly a striking one. Not that Gaston was going to verbalise that thought.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GKKf3FPI4
The Beast lifted the nest to a nearby tree. Gaston gulped a gasp when he wrapped his arms around him and lifted him towards the nest, presumably trying to convince him to pet the birds.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdKyq8s8ws
With a sigh, Gaston did so. His expression softened. The feathers were wet and rough. Still, it wasn’t the worst sensation in the world.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9STYlpmsS
Honestly, the feeling of fur around his tight-covered legs was closer to being in the running for that oh-so prestigious title. Not because of the sensation itself, but the way it stamped Gaston’s face with a heavy blush.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJqHIBDzs1
‘Put me down!’ he squeaked. As soon as that sound left his mouth, the blush got stronger. Heroes didn’t sound like that.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4tXkqEFlI
The Beast laughed with no trace of derision, plopping Gaston down. Gaston wound up laughing too. In the process of putting Gaston down, the Beast held the other man’s hand for a moment. The Beast’s heart lifted when Gaston didn’t shudder at his paw. While they took back their positions in front of the targets, Lumiere and Cogsworth watched them from behind a tree.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFy49ky8IU
Lumiere pointed to them. Cogsworth finally nodded in agreement, subtly reaching for the candelabra’s unlit hand.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1o01SCwvD
‘Oh, Lumiere, where are you?’ The female voice’s accent rivalled Lumiere’s. Lumiere pulled his hands away from Cogsworth as he sauntered to Fifi, the feather duster.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLY4ZRv2g0N
Cogsworth sank into the snow and buried himself in it for a moment.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s4kMcDa1t
His ticking sped up when he heard a loud thud next to him. He frantically pushed and kicked through the snow until he saw the Beast sitting next to him.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgTHLhc2dc
‘Yes, Master? Are you in need of anything?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiWIpoLFKl
The Beast shook his head. He watched Gaston swivel towards him after a good shot and lift his bow in victory, accompanied by a bright smile.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFtroTa26c
‘I… I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Do you think I have a chance?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWrBvnFxIl
Thinking back to the events of a few seconds ago, Cogsworth was highly tempted to answer with a firm, bitter no. But he held his tongue for a moment to think.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0uI8cWgRM
‘Why don’t you invite him for dinner?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZWNEIBUQv
‘That didn’t work out last time.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwy5OGnQmQs
‘Well, y-you see, Master…’ Cogsworth shut his eyes as if that would protect him. ‘...You didn’t exactly… ask last time.’ He opened one eye and saw not a fierce and ferocious creature but a furry man nodding while in thought.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8hfSomf78
When Lumiere returned, the Beast grabbed him and held him to eye level. ‘Lumiere, ask Gaston if he wants to attend dinner with me.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSN7iR3dY3
‘You should ask him yourself,’ Lumier replied, shooing him forward with his hands.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm7S4XQ3Nx
The Beast bit his lip, lowered Lumiere and sat there for a minute. Finally, he stood up and walked towards Gaston.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM9uOaAQWO
‘I thought you said you were tired,’ Gaston said. ‘I guess I must be stronger than you, huh?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMxN8jpfT0
The Beast’s laughter was herky-jerky as he rubbed the back of his neck. ‘So I was thinking…’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmcW2mdB0O
‘A dangerous pastime.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfwOTRucgq
‘Gaston, would you be serious?’ the Beast roared. He coughed and looked down, silent for a moment before continuing. ‘Would you like to have dinner… with me… in the ballroom dining room?’ When the Beast looked up, his eyes shining with hope, he saw a confused expression on Gaston’s face.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVdYf9LvPb
‘Don’t you already have a place to eat? What’s special about the ballroom?’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ2LFy9KCt
‘Well, uh…’ The Beast rolled his head towards Lumiere and Cogsworth, his eyes a cry for help that went unanswered. ‘We could dance in the ballroom… together.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqis9nNXfHW
A laugh left Gaston’s lips. ‘Why would you want to do something like…?’ Once he finally understood the Beast’s intentions, he took a step back.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwullk96T2i
‘I… I understand,’ the Beast mumbled. ‘It’s an odd request from one man to another.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRQQtnHvoo
Gaston was about to point out that the Beast was hardly a man, but then he looked into those blue eyes that looked like an ocean about to spill onto the land.
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguko199OpQ
The Beast turned around but Gaston grabbed him by the shoulder. ‘One night. We can dance for one night.’
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70wyr5ZsBG
The Beast kept his back against Gaston but swung his head back towards him. ‘I’ll see you tonight.’ His voice was the softest Gaston had heard from him.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcTF3kRONI
然後按「加至主畫面」