Belle | #1

19| Parastin

1 9

P a r a s t i n 

(v.) protect [to keep safe]

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We accept the love we think we deserve.

– Stephen Chbosky

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i am so sorry that this took this long, but if you want your feelings of anger and impatience justified, then definitely read the a/n at the bottom with all the deets and tea.

but without further ado, here is a new chapter of belle, and i hope you enjoy

xo

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Adam asked if he could watch as Belle sowed.

It was a weird request she'd admit – I know it's weird, I just-I just want to see the process for myself – and even though Belle was skeptical, she nodded her head at him that Thursday night he asked. It wasn't exactly as annoying as Belle thought it'd be – all it took was one single knock on Adam's bedroom door – and he'd show up to her room in precisely five minutes, with a small smile on his lips.

He called her Absolute magic the first time he saw her sow, and Belle could feel her cheeks flush underneath the hoodie she was wearing. Belle was confident in her skills, but to be called magic with one of Adam's bright smiles made her feel as though she'd explode right in front of him.

Adam was actually quite comedic whenever he was around.

He was a bedazzled mess of Jesus, I didn't even know you sewed those things! and Holy shit, you made that? all of which were accompanied with wide shock-ridden eyes and parted lips. He looked at her as though she really was performing magic, and for someone so talkative, Adam was usually quiet when Belle was sowing, as though he understood that she needed to concentrate, and that he was too busy watching her that he almost forgot to talk.

It was cute, she'd admit, because it felt as though Adam was a six-year-old boy seeing how paper planes were made for the first time. Belle was used to having only Mrs. Potts actually watch as she sowed – Lumière and Cogan would sit for a while before they'd eventually leave for some errands around the mansion – but Mrs. Potts always stayed. She worked double the effort to make absolutely sure she was completely free to watch Belle sow, to help Belle pick out complementing fabric and colours – just being there for the entire process, from when it was all just scraps and cloth, to when it was a fully sown dress, hanging off a mannequin.

Adam looked out of place – Belle was used to her cream walls and her chandeliers watching her as she sowed – but she definitely was getting used to Adam's gentle hazel gaze, with his bronze curls settling at the nape of his neck as he keenly observed every stitch she was doing. "You know," she said quietly, her eyes still trained onto the corset she was working on, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you've seen someone sow before."

Adam looked surprised, his eyes widening at her words. "N-No I, uh," he spluttered, and Belle had to fight a smile. "I, umm, I did a thing that helped-helped with sewing for my mom," Adam said tightly, and Belle perked at him. "I watched her use it too, so you kind of remind me of her."

Belle clenched her jaw, chewing on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry," Belle whispered, and Adam shook her off. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's alright, and besides," Adam grinned this time, but there was an etch of pain swirled in it, "I'm sure I gave it away – this isn't my first time seeing someone sew."