Little Gaston

Chapter 1

Gaston couldn't feel anything but pain, now that he was lying at what seemed to be a tree. He had fallen from high, but the water had managed to break his fall. Well, most of his fall at least. There was a throbbing pain coming from his ribs.

He tried to move, but only a groan escaped him and he fell back. Lying still and in pain, he could only think about the situation that brought him here.

The Beast.

God, the moment he had seen it in the mirror he had almost wetted himself in fright. It reminded him of the stories his father used to tell him, about the monstruous beast that would come and eat him in the middle of the night if he was weak or disobedient. How those words had scared him when he had been a kid.

But like he had learned, seeing the image of the mirror, he hadn't showed fear. The memory of a mug of beer being thrown his way each time he cowered had quickly helped him get rid that habit.

But how he had wanted to get rid of that nightmarish monster, the thought filling his being, wanting the thing out of his nightmares gone. And all he had succeeded in was getting rid of himself.

He could feel a bit of a fuzzy edge on his mind, the pain always driving him further to a headspace he had rarely indulged him. Trying to lift his arm, he managed to get the small box in his pocket after a few moments of slow movements. It was filled with herbs, looking like chewing tobacco, but it wasn't.

Taking a small pinch of the herbs he put it in his mouth, wincing at the bitter taste, but managing to swallow them down. At least if he was found now, he would still be in his big headspace. People like him weren't meant to be littles. He needed to be big and strong, like he had been taught.

A sudden gust made him shiver, and when he tried to get up again, the pain made him faint. And there Gaston laid, in the water, the small box in his hands was soon taken by the stream from his unresisting grip.

"Master, we have found someone," Lumiere came to where Adam and Belle were talking in the parlour discovering each other again after the magical transformation. The entire village had been in surprise when their memories were restored, and they remembered who exactly they were attacking.

The night had been long with them asking for forgiveness and then taking care of all the wounded. It had been a stupid battle, where more things were lost then gained. Except for them.

Holding Belle's hand, Adam turned towards Lumiere with a frown.

"What do you mean. I thought everyone was accounted for," Adam said, but Lumiere shook his head. It was almost shocking to see him human again after so long, and he almost expected the man to start a flame, but he didn't. He just wrung his hand's worriedly, just when Cogsworth entered the parlour as well, out of breath and looking worried.

"My lord, we found Gaston," Cogsworth said, and immediate Adam got angry.

"What?!" he growled, not noticing that the fur that appeared on his hands he was suddenly back to his beast form.

"Adam, look at you," Belle said, looking worried at the beast. One angry outburst, and he was back to the beast he had been before, and for a moment she feared the spell hadn't been broken.

"What happened?" Adam said, feeling panic rise in his chest.

"Calm down, master," Lumiere said, looking worried, "the spell is broken, you see we're still human, and the rose is gone,"

"Yes, you are human, and the rose is gone," Adam said, taking in a few deep breaths. He felt the fur and claws retract and looked at his hands in surprised. He looked at Belle, who was cautiously approaching him, putting on of her small and slender hands on his arm.