Beauty and the Bookworm

Chapter 3: Hopes and Dreams

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Beau and (Y/n) started walking back to their cottage, and (Y/n) was watching Beau with an amused look, noticing that he looked grumpier than usual. She noticed that he always had that look on his face whenever Gaston talks to her. She found it adorable.

"Thanks for the help back there." She said to him.

Instantly, his grumpy mood turned happier at the sound of her voice. He turned to look down at her.

"You're welcome. I just wish he would take the hint that you're not interested in marrying that oaf." He said, scowling.

"Awe, are you jealous?" The girl teased.

Beau's face immediately turned a bright red. "W-What?! Jealous? Me? Of that brainless baboon? Of course not! Don't be ridiculous."

(Y/n) couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing at him.

"Stop laughing at me!" He demanded, embarrassed.

"Awe, but it's funny to see you get all flustered." She said still laughing.

Beau gave her a mischievous look and picked the girl up by the waist, causing her to squeal, and tossed her over his shoulder and continued walking back to the cottage.

"Beau! Put me down right now!" (Y/n) demanded, kicking her legs.

"Sorry princess. This is what you get for laughing at me." Beau replied opening the gate to their cottage.

"Oh come on, I'm sorry! Please?" She begged.

"Well, I suppose since you asked nicely..." He reasoned, and gently put the small girl back down on her feet. "There you are princess." He joked, taking her hand and planting a kiss on it.

The young girl blushed, but played along anyway. "Why thank you kind sir." She replied, giving him a curtsy.

They both burst out laughing. Beau found himself staring at (Y/n), listening to her sweet laugh. He suddenly remembered the advice Père Roberts had given him.

'Make your move before someone else does.'

"Um...(Y/n)..." Beau said, hesitantly.

"Yes?" She asked, looking up at him with big beautiful eyes.

"I..." Just as Beau was about to confess to her, he was interrupted by the sound of a music box playing. They both turned towards the cottage and knew exactly where it was coming from.

....

Inside the cottage, Beau's father Maurice was listening to a music box play. Inside it was a tiny figure of a beautiful woman holding a baby, while another figure was painting the woman. The woman was Beau's late mother. She had passed away when he was a baby. They both missed her very much.

Beau and (Y/n) stood in the doorway watching Maurice. He hasn't noticed them yet and started singing along with the tune.

Maurice: "How does a moment last forever? How can a story never die? Is it love we must hold on to? Never easy, but we try."

(Y/n) leaned her head on Beau's shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Maurice: "Sometimes our happiness is captured. Somehow a time and place stand still. Love lives on inside our hearts, and always will."

Beau and (Y/n) walked further into the room, causing them to be noticed by Maurice.

"Oh. Beau. (Y/n)." He said clearing his throat and continuing to work on the music box.