Just put on a happy face (Cogsworth X Circus! Performer! Reader)

Chapter Three: Tale as old as time

I was invited to dinner with the beast and Belle tonight. I agreed and got dressed in the dress that was made for me earlier. I was ready before the other two, traits of being part of the circus I suppose, and waited at the bottom of the stairs for them with Mrs Potts. Belle came out from her room in a big, glittery, gold dress while the beast wore a blue and yellow coat with a white shirt, tie, yellow waistcoat and black and yellow trousers. Certainly looking better from when we first met. Not as scraggy. The two greeted each other and headed down the stairs, arms linked. We all went to the dining room as Mrs Potts sang.

'Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast.'

Belle took the beast away from the table and led him to the giant room I've been going in a lot lately. I followed. They stood in the middle of the room while I went over to Cogsworth and Lumiere. Belle and the beast started moving around the room in a way I didn't recognize.

'Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise

Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast.'

Lumiere shushed the candles and they went down in brightness.

'Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast.'

Belle and the beast left the room through the glass doors. I stayed with Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs Potts.

"What were they doing?" I asked.

"They were dancing," Lumiere told me.

"I've never seen that kind of dancing before," I said.

"Well, maybe when we're human again, I can teach you," Cogsworth said.

"Really?!"

"No promises."

I thanked him and he even told me that he would teach me everything e6i needed to learn. I thanked him over and over. After that, I walked around the garden alone when, after a short while, I heard the beast roar loudly. I didn't go see what was wrong. I went back into the castle and dressed in my non-performing clothes when I heard banging on the front door. I ran downstairs to see pretty much everyone barring the door. I asked what was happening and Lumiere told me a mob was trying to get in.

I had an idea so I started rummaging through cupboards to find any kind of giant sheets for my little trick. I grabbed as many as I could find and headed to the giant room and set the sheets on the floor, in front of the doors that lead to the balcony. The bangs stopped and everything was uncomfortably quiet until Lumiere yelled and a fight broke out. I looked over the fight before doing a whistle I learned (wolf whistle) gaining the attention of a few people. I ran back in the room, towards the doors.

The people that followed me got to the middle of the room and I opened the doors making the sheets fly up in the wind. As the sheets flew about, I walked, hid and danced through them making it look like I was disappearing and reappearing scaring them slightly. I went up behind them and whispered a simple 'boo' scaring the life out of them and they ran off.

I smiled and went out to see everyone celebrating. We got rid of them! But that stopped when we heard a loud roar. A roar of pain. Mrs Potts, Cogsworth, Lumiere and me ran to where it came from to see the beast and Belle both on the floor. We stayed out of sight.

"You. You came back," the beast said breathlessly.

"Of course I came back. I couldn't let them..." Belle cut herself off, "oh, this is all my fault. If only I'd gotten here sooner."

"Maybe it's better... it's better this way."

"Don't talk like that. You'll be alright. We're together now. Everything's going to be fine."

"At least... I got to see you... one last time."

Belle pulled the beast's hand up to her cheek and he held it there until it dropped. His head fell back and his eyes closed. He's dead. I've seen it enough to know what it is. Belle started crying and begged him not to leave her even including a phrase I've never heard.

"I love you!"

What does that even mean? What is love? That's besides the point! The three objects looked up at the rose that dropped its last petal and they all looked down. I looked back at Belle and the beast just sitting there in the rain when a light fell. Then another. And another. Belle noticed what was happening and backed away. A mist surrounded the beast, lifting him up as the object looked back up. His cloak wrapped him up and a crowd of light surrounded him.

I'm not completely sure what ha6but after something happened, the beast was gently lowered down on the floor. Belle reached out to him but backed off when he moved. The beast stood up but... he wasn't a beast anymore... he was a person! He turned to Belle and told her it was him. Not sure what he meant by that but Belle recognized him and they connected their lips making some sort of lights surround them.

The gloominess of the castle turned beautiful and bright and all the snow disappeared. We came out of hiding and the object suddenly turned into people. Lumiere was first. He had light brown hair, pale skin, brown eyes, he wore a white shirt with yellow sleeves on the end, yellow tie, brown waistcoat, yellow puffy trousers, brown shoes and he was quite slim. Cogsworth was next.

He had brown hair, pale skin, blue eyes, a thin moustache, he wore a light brown and yellow coat, white tie, brown trousers, white socks, black shoes, he had a miniature clock hanging from his coat and he was a little overweight. Mrs Potts was last. She had white hair, light skin, blue eyes, she wore a small pink and purple hat, a purple and pink dress with an apron and she was a little overweight too. I just stood there in shock at what just happen. The former beast hugged the three as the teacup came in before turning into a young boy and the thing he was riding turned into a fluffy dog.

After the former beast swung Belle around, I asked, "umm... now that you're a person, what do I call you?"

"Your Highness or Adam. Whatever you're comfortable with."

Oh! He's royalty. Belle, Adam and I got properly dressed (I wore my performance outfit plus makeup) and held a celebration. As Belle and Adam danced, I stood near Lumiere who was going to go after a maid who walked passed but Cogsworth stopped him.

"Well, Lumiere, old friend. Shall we let bygones be bygones?" He asked shaking his hand.

"Of course, mon ami. I told you she would break the spell," Lumiere said.

"I beg your pardon, old friend, but I believe I told you."

"No you didn't, I told you."

"You most certainly did not, you pompous paraffin-headed pea-brain!" Cogsworth said pushing Lumiere with his stomach.

"En garde, you overgrown pocket watch!" Lumiere hit Cogsworth with his gloves.

I rolled my eyes as the two fought and got in the middle of them, "that's enough you two. Now, calm down and put on a happy face."

They did and looked back at Belle and Adam.

'Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast.'

(A/N: see you next chapter)