𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭

𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 his foot as he sat at the bar within the tavern. He huffed and whirled around, looking at the setting sun through the window. Surely they were late by now and patience had always been a personal struggle for him.

"They'll be here," LeFou reassured him, beginning to massage the tension from his shoulders.

Gaston released a pleased sigh, but quickly slapped LeFou's hands away once he realized that the action distracted from his brooding.

"I just wanted to help," LeFou apologized.

"You can help by keeping your eyes peeled for a certain angel," Gaston retorted just as the bell attached to the tavern door rang.

Gaston's hopes rose and deflated simultaneously as he turned to face the couple entering. Belle waved to greet him and dragged along the bookkeeper, whose name he'd already forgotten, behind her to join them at the bar.

"Bonsoir, Gaston."

"Bonsoir, Belle," Gaston returned the greeting with a false smile. He hesitated as he turned toward her partner.

The lad sighed as if he'd had to remind the hunter of his name over a dozen times already, which he had, "Hugo, Monsieur."

"Yes, of course," Gaston nodded, gripping the lad's hand as he shook it. "I knew that."

It wasn't long though before his attention drifted back toward the door. Gaston's brow knit together in confusion. "Wasn't Celine with you?"

Belle sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, sighed, then shook her head. "She mentioned other plans..."

"Other plans?" Gaston questioned.

Belle slowly nodded her head. "She mentioned dinner at the castle—"

"Belle." Gaston interrupted and his expression had fallen into a deep frown. "If she didn't want to come, just say so. Don't make up excuses. Remember, we established that the combination of being lost in the dark and cold created hallucinations. Neither your father nor you encountered any beasts aside from the wolves."

Belle hesitated, but accepted his reasoning with a nod of her head. Her voice was quiet as she continued the conversation. "Alright... Celine won't be joining us. In fact, I'm not sure how much longer she'll stick around."

"What do you mean?" Gaston asked.

Seeing that Belle had suddenly grown nervous to explain, Hugo jumped into the conversation. Although he personally hadn't met Celine, he'd heard enough from Belle to understand. He also had no problem upsetting the man who seemed to possess no insight to the feelings of those around him. "Celine wants to travel, see the world. The only thing keeping her in town is her mother, but seeing that Madame de Fayette is capable enough to care for herself, I don't see Celine staying here much longer."