A/N: Sorry, I took my sweet time on this. Blame the writer's block. Seriously, evil! But I kinda like this one, and it's hella long, so perhaps I'm forgiven?

Summary: A fairy punishes an arrogant model by turning him into a hideous beast. Now, to change back, he has to win the heart of a beautiful peasant boy. Set in France.

Ratings: T, for one too many kisses. ;P

Disclaimer: I don't own The Beauty and the Beast, originally called La Belle et la Bête, and written by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. What a mouthful. I also don't own the Greek story Echo and Narcissus, but I did make Echo into a kick ass fairy agent with a tendency to be a little too fond of both pretty boys and girls---aka molestation.

Warnings: Slash--duh, sexual content, narcissism, violence, French words, slight femslash.

Translations:

Beau -- Beautiful

Monsieur -- Mr.

Chateau -- Castle

Mon bébé -- My baby

Crétins -- Morons

Café -- Coffee

Mon coeur, mon âme, mon amour -- My heart, my soul, my love

Le Beau et la Bête

There was once a model named Leonhart de Christian. He was featured on nearly every issue of Magazine de Mode, the top fashion magazine in France, since his official debut at the ripe young age of sixteen.

Now, at seventeen years old, he was world renowned, for his waist length blonde hair, crystalline blue eyes, and peachy golden skin. But, though he was so lovely in appearance, Leonhart de Christian was famous for his narcissistic, and often cruel, personality. He was known for charging—what he considered—ugly girls two hundred Euros per autographed picture.

One day, while vacationing in his summer chateau in the country, he heard a loud knock while relaxing in a comfortable divan, ordering around his personal servants and ridiculing them when they messed up.

“Go open the door!” He shouted to one of the servants, a meek young man who was already carrying many trays of drinks. The man, alarmed at the sound of his voice, tripped and cut his foot on a rather large shard of glass, unable to get up and open the door because of it.

The young model sighed, saying something along the lines of, “God! Why do I have to do everything myself?” and got up to open the door. He was met with the hideous, wrinkled face of an elderly woman, crippled with age.

“Excuse me, young man,” She said in a shaky, pathetic voice. “I am quite far from any town, and it will rain any second. Might it be too difficult to ask for some shelter for the night?”

Without even waiting for her to finish, he shouted a loud, “NO!” and shut the door, turning to return to his divan, grimacing in disgust when the saw that the injured servant was still sitting on the floor. He was about to go over and shout at the poor man when the lights shut off all around the house. He heard the shouts of his panicked servants and rolled his eyes.

“Idiots. It’s only the stor—” But before he could finish the admonishment, he felt arms around his trim waist, both possessive and harsh, and felt cool breaths puff onto his ears.

“Sorry, dearie, but it isn’t just the storm...” A feminine voice whispered, and he felt sharp teeth nibble on his stud-clad ear. “It’s me!”

He swallowed dryly in response, and said, “Who are you?” earning a laugh from the mysterious woman. It was a cruel laugh.

“I am Echo, the fairy of beauty, and I heard the rumor that you were quite the heartless young man. I didn’t believe what everyone said about you, though, so I decided to check up on it for myself, and I realized something very important...” Leonhart swallowed again, his Adam’s Apple bobbing wildly. He was almost relieved when the fairy began to speak in an almost loving tone. “You, my beloved, remind me of my first love, Narcissus. That isn’t a good thing!”

She bit into the golden skin of his neck and he screamed. Before long, he heard an eerie whisper, cold as ice on his ear.

“Because of your obsession with your own beauty, you have been deemed as cruel by your fellows. I will curse you, turn you into a hideous beast, until the day your heart is pure again—until someone loves you as a beast, rather than a handsome model.”

The light bulbs shattered over the heads of the members of the de Christian chateau, forever pitching it in blackness.

Armand Ancelin, a wealthy entrepreneur, had three children. Desiree and Bebe, his older twin girls, and Beau, his teenaged son. Beau was the most beautiful of the three, though male, because of his soft grey eyes, snow pale skin, red lips, and two-toned brown hair, hence his namesake.

Because of his beauty, his older sisters were often envious, but he still loved his entire family very dearly.

One day, after an accident overseas, Monsieur Ancelin lost his entire fortune, making the family very poor, and they had to move to the French slums. His two oldest daughters, Desiree and Bebe, were very upset because of this and said many cruel things to their old father, throwing vicious temper tantrums. Beau only smiled gently, saying it was not his father’s fault, and decided to come home after school a little earlier, so he could acquire a part-time job.

Finally, after months and months of living off of stale bread and water, Monsieur Ancelin got what he thought could be very good news for them: one of his merchandise ships had made it through the storm and had docked in Paris.

He immediately set out to the city, hoping to regain some of their wealth. He asked his children if they wanted any souvenirs from his trip to the capital.

His two daughters, thinking they were wealthy again, said, “Please bring us clothes as jewelry of the highest fashion, Papa.”

Beau, always the most sensible, said simply, “Please Papa, if you can, bring me a rose. They don’t grow here in the slums.” The father agreed to all of these requests, leaving their home with a cheer that hadn’t been experienced in quite a long time.

But, unfortunately, when he made it to Paris, he found out that his cargo had been confiscated to pay off his debt to his investors. Sadly, heart heavy, the old man headed back towards the slums on foot.

Before he had gotten very far, a storm, much like the one that had destroyed his career, hit the city and he was forced to take shelter. He found a small chateau, hidden from the main road, and knocked on the door, hoping to ask the master for shelter. He was surprised when the door opened upon the first knock; the inside of the chateau beckoning to him.

When he entered, he found that the entire dining chamber was decorated with a feast for a guest, and realized that the master must have set it out for him.

“Thank you.” He said softly, hoping the mysterious master heard him, and dug in.

When Monsieur Anselin finally finished his meal, he began to explore the chateau, still hearing the patter of rain against the windows. All of the doors were open, welcoming, save one door at the very end of the hall that was closed.

This door piqued his curiosity and he tried to open it, surprised when it swung open upon a twist of the knob. Inside the room was a beautiful garden of blood red roses. Monsieur Anselin was awed by this, and suddenly remembered that Beau had wanted a rose.

“What could it hurt if I picked but one?” He rationalized, and picked the loveliest of the roses, tucking it into his breast pocket. He smiled down at it, but leapt a foot in the air when he suddenly heard an animalistic roar. He turned around and saw a huge, horrifying beast. Monsieur Anselin cowered in fear, afraid for his life, and was both horrified and surprised when the beast began to speak.

“I welcome you into my home, feed you, let you have free reign over my chateau, and this is how you pay me back!?!” The angered beast roared, swiping the rose from the man’s breast pocket, and leaving three, bloody claw marks in its place. “You steal my most prized possession! Your greed will be your downfall.”

But the man began to beg at his feet, telling him about the young children he had left alone at home.

“I only took this rose for my youngest child. Please, don’t leave those poor children parentless to the cruel world.” The beast, hearing the conviction in his voice, wavered and lowered his claws.

“Fine, I will let you live, but in return, you must bring your youngest child to me, and leave them here in my chateau forever.” The man, though reluctant, eventually relented, thinking of his two other children. All three would suffer if he died now. The beast decided to let him go home.

Monsieur Anselin eventually returned to the French slums, and felt tears well up in his eyes when Beau pulled him into a hug.

“I missed you so very much, Papa,” The boy would say joyously, while his sisters would whine and complain about their lack of lovely clothes. “Thank you very much for the rose.”

The man didn’t want to spoil his son’s happiness, so he didn’t tell him about his arrangements with the beast, but Beau, seeing how nervous and paranoid his father was, persistently asked until his father told him the truth.

“I am so sorry, Beau,” The man said, holding his son close, and the boy soothingly rubbed his shoulders, cooing nonsense words at him. “Will you ever forgive me?”

The man who had raised him looked so depressed, so pathetic, that Beau only smiled, saying, “Of course I forgive you. And I will set out for this beast’s chateau immediately.”

Beau’s father dropped him off at beast’s chateau from a hay cart borrowed by a fellow peasant. He could see the fear in his youngest child’s wide grey eyes, and held onto his son for as long as possible.

“You don’t have to do this, mon bébé,” He whispered into the soft brown locks, which shook negatively almost immediately. “No one will force you to. It was my mistake, and I should pay for it.”

The boy shook his head again, smiling, though the tears in his eyes were evident.

“I will gladly take a little pain for you, Papa. I’m only crying because I’ll miss you,” He kissed his father’s cheek affectionately, making the older man flush from pleasure and regret. He then turned and headed for the large wooden entrance of the chateau. “Goodbye, Papa.”

With that final goodbye, the young teenager picked up the large, lion shaped knocker and rapped three times, wincing during each of them. His father, watching as his son was finally enveloped by the shadows, took off his hat and placed it over his chest, where his heart would be, as a symbol of mourning for his youngest child, head bowed with shame and sadness.

Leonhart de Christian, now referred to as the Beast, waited in the shadows for his new guest to arrive. When they finally entered, he marveled at the beauty of the small figure. Though dressed in the torn clothes of a peasant, the merchant’s child had the soft, gentle demeanor of an angel. He stepped out of the shadows, evoking a gasp from the figure.

“Welcome to my chateau, stranger. I am called the Beast,” He said softly, a low, unintentional growl in his voice, taking the beautiful figures small hand in his large paw and bringing it to a fanged mouth for a kiss, eliciting a gasp. The merchant’s child apparently did not expect his lips to be so soft. “It is my pleasure to meet you, whomever you may be.”

The child apparently got the hint and gasped, free hand reaching up to touch soft lips, instigating a spark of jealousy within the Beast.

“I am sorry for my impoliteness. My name is Beau Ancelin, the merchant’s son...” The Beast froze after hearing this, breath caught in his feral throat, before he suddenly released a vicious roar, shaking the ground beneath them and scaring the boy.

“You’re a boy? A boy? Such a long time of waiting, of kindness to strangers, of luring others, and this is what I get!?! Damn you, Echo, you cruel witch goddess!!!”

Beau cowered in the face of the Beast’s animalistic fury, wondering with curious fear what exactly he had wanted with a girl.

In Olympus, the home of mythical and magical creatures, Echo sat peacefully upon a comfortable divan, reading a copy of Magazine de Mode which was titled Missing Model Devoured by Beast.

She laughed lightly, saying aloud, “If only you knew, silly mortals. If only you knew.”

Suddenly, she heard an enraged voice shout her name, so loud that it reached the heavens, even scaring some of the lesser fairies.

“Oh, dear Beast, did you really think I would make it easy for you? Uh, uh, uh!” She shook a scolding finger in the air, giggled, and blew a kiss off in the Beast’s general direction. Then, she paused. “Though I wish I could be a litter kinder to sweet Beau. He didn’t do anything wrong, after all.”

Just then, a small pixie arrived with a cup of café in hand. “Here you go, mistress.” and Echo forgot all about what she was going to say.

After the initial anger, Beast realized that the cruel fairy must have planned this outcome for him, and decided to treat the other boy kindly, hopefully winning his heart in the end.

He brought Beau lovely clothes—often feminine, which made the boy flush prettily, though he never objected—and material possessions, giving him an entire wing of the chateau for his own things, and having all of the servants treat him with as much respect as he himself got.

Beau literally had no rules to go by, save not entering one specific chamber which was always closed. The boy did not mind this obstruction, and things passed relatively peacefully. Beast lived warily, almost as if he were afraid of the tiny human teenager, and Beau lived as if he were still at home, focusing on the study books he had brought with him, and helping out the servants with anything he could.

He was beautiful and smart and kind, surprising many of the servants, and Beast most of all. Said Beast felt lighter, and almost human again, whenever he was around the small teenager. Before long, the terrifying creature felt his heart cry out for the other, and realized that he, once the self-loving but human monster who reveled on his own beauty, was in love.

Beau lived life happily enough, though he still missed his family, and was still pretty meek around the Beast, but they got along well enough.

He was more than surprised, however, when the Beast greeted him with a rose one day, while they were eating dinner.

“Will you, Beau, consider marrying me?” The Beast suddenly said, tucking the rose gently behind the boy’s soft locks. Beau had gaped in return, unable to respond, but the almost eager look from the Beast bid him to do just that.

“I’m sorry, Beast, but I don’t think I can feel that way for you. I mean, you’re certainly the kindest Beast I’ve ever met, but I don’t think we’re good for each other,” He finally said, voice soft and gentle, though his words broke the Beast’s heart. “And besides, I am a boy, and I’m pretty sure you are too.”

The Beast had nodded sadly, thinking privately that he would try again someday, and the conversation had ended. That night, Beau had a dream about a strange yet handsome man, pleading with him.

Echo’s assistant, a sweet fairy named Merope, watched the events occurring below Olympus with sad eyes. She, unlike Echo, felt bad for the poor Beast.

“Mistress,” She said softly, turning to Echo and nervously batting a lock of red hair from over her eyes. “Don’t you think that you should help the Beast at least a little bit? He has changed from the cruel person he was a year ago. Surely that accounts for something?”

Her pleading seemed to annoy the head fairy, landing on deaf ears, as she puffed out her cheeks in anger.

“I can’t agree with that, Merope. Just a year ago, that cruel man would have broken Beau’s heart, simply for being a peasant. The anti-Narcissus agency does not negotiate with self-loving heart breakers.” But one look at her assistant’s pleading, bespectacled eyes had her wavering.

“But, mistress, if they are meant to be happy together, and you keep them apart, then isn’t the whole idea for having this agency ruined? Shouldn’t Beau at least get a small hint about the Beast’s true identity? No offense, but not even many mythical creatures partake in zoophilia, so I doubt a mere mortal would want to. It would probably make it a bit easier for both of them if Beau knew he was still dealing with his own species.” In the face of this rationalization, Echo wavered, sighing and muttering a spell under her breath. The words dream and truth were heard quite a few times all throughout.

Beau was walking in the darkness, unsure of where he was, but he could hear someone crying. Saddened by this lamentation, he decided to comfort whoever it was, and kept walking, reaching out his arms in hopes of directing himself.

Suddenly, when he had walked through an entrance of some sort, the lights sparked on, exposing his surroundings to him. He was in the Beast’s ball room, with its marble floors, crystal chandelier, and gold printed walls. The next thing he noticed was his own clothes. He was wearing a puffy yellow shirt, made of silk and littered with bows. His pants were tight and black, elegant yet attractive. Gazing down at himself, he didn’t notice the other presence in the room until he had already literally bumped into him.

“Oh, I’m sor—” He began, but the words were caught in his throat as soon as he looked up. A handsome boy with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes watched him joyously.

“You came...” The boy said, taking Beau’s hand and pulling him close. “I knew you’d come...”

Beau, in return, began to fidgety and flush, unable to look clearly at the handsome stranger.

“Um...why would it matter to you whether I came or not?” He asked softly, but his question was immediately disregarded.

“Shall we have this dance?” And before he could say yes or no—not that he knew what to say—the other male was twirling him around. And though Beau did not consider himself a very talented dancer, he was actually having a good time with the other boy. Finally, after the two had twirled all around the dance floor, swaying to the haunting music played by the orchestra, the taller male pulled them both to a stop, tilting Beau’s chin up, so he could get a good look into his eyes. “Promise me that you won’t reject me anymore.”

And Beau did so, enchanted by the blue orbs that watched him, even as they lowered to steal a kiss from his willing lips.

Then, suddenly, the young teen snapped awake, marveling at the slight warmth emanating from his lips. They felt kissed, though he had only been dreaming. He thought of the handsome blonde haired man, flushed, and tried to go back to sleep.

“After all, it was just a dream, that’s all.” But somehow, he couldn’t convince himself, and his dream was littered with the music of an orchestra, ghost like footsteps dancing through his mind.

The next day, the Beast seemed lighter, happier, and treated all his servants with consideration and kindness. Beau, for his part, couldn’t figure out what brought upon this change. When it finally came time for dinner, the answer arrived.

“Beau,” The Beast called softly when the both of them had been seated for dinner for a few minutes. The boy hummed in reply, looking up curiously. “Now that you’ve thought about it...would you consider marrying me?”

The boy had blinked again, this time out of surprise, before shaking his head slowly, looking slightly sad.

“I’m so sorry, Beast, but I think I don’t feel the same way.” He offered the other male a hopeful smile, trying to tone down the tenseness in the room.

The Beast let out a soft, defeated, “Oh...I see.” and they went on with their dinner.

That night, Beau had the same dream as before, hearing the handsome boy’s cry, and walked up to him once more.

“What’s wrong?” He asked softly, taking a seat besides the other male. Said boy looked up at him with hateful, angry eyes, but they were soon replaced with sadness, more tears flowing from the blue orbs.

“What do you mean ‘what’s wrong’? You’re what’s wrong! Why do you keep rejecting me?” He began to sob into his arms again, leaving a surprised Beau behind.

“Rejecting you? But...I think I like you too much to do that.” He finally responded with a dark flush, surprising the crying boy.

“You...you do?” And before he knew it, the other boy had stepped out of his seat and pulled Beau into his arms, twirling in happiness.

“Oh Beau,” He finally said, burying his face in the crook of the other boy’s shoulder, pressing occasional kisses to any exposed skin he found. “Promise you won’t reject me tomorrow!”

“I promise...” Beau immediately responded, and woke up soon afterwards. “He must be trapped somewhere in Beast’s castle. I have to find him.”

Beau got up early the next morning, while the rest of the people in the chateau were still asleep, and snuck to the room that was always closed. When he twisted the doorknob, he was shocked to find that it opened immediately, exposing the room within it.

“Is anyone in here?” He asked softly, and then marveled when he saw an indoor garden of roses. He soon forgot about the handsome, mysterious dream boy, and reached out to touch one of the soft rose petals on a flower. A low growl stopped him, prompting him to slowly turn around.

“What are you doing, boy!?!” Beast shouted, his large body looming over the doorway and painting monestrous shadows all over the ground.

“I...” Beau began, tears filling his eyes. “I was just...”

“You were nothing!!! I give you everything you desire, and you betray me this way?” He raised up a long clawed hand to strike, making Beau cower on the floor with tears dripping and arms raised, but soon lowered them at the pitiful sight. He turned and walked away, never looking back.

“I wish I could go home...” Beau, now alone, whispered, tears streaming pitifully.

Echo watched the two boys dance around each other with frustration.

“Morons! Crétins! Ugh, men! They can’t do anything right!” She shouted towards the frightened Merope, making the young fairy hide behind a large flower pot for defense.

“I’m sorry the dreams aren’t working, mistress.” The little fairy said between intervals of her mistress’ anger. “But maybe they aren’t meant to be after all?”

That got her a disgusted snort. “No, I refuse to believe that two mortals under my charge aren’t meant to be. I mean, I cursed Beast, so Beau could break the curse and show him the meaning of love and kindness...oh, I knew they were both too young to really get it. I knew!”

“I...” Merope began, but she was soon cut off.

“Ah ha! I think I know just what to do!” The fairy woman rubbed her chin thoughtfully, a maniacal look in her eyes, mouth widened in a victorious grin. “I think a little tragedy is in order.”

And Merope wasn’t so sure she liked the sound of that.

The next day, when Beast and Beau were eating dinner in tense silence, Beau interrupted Beast before he could ask his inevitable question, though the boy wasn’t even sure if he would ask it after what happened.

“I...I want to go home, Beast. I miss my family...” He said softly, staring at his plate, and ignoring the hard stare that was directed towards him.

“Fine.” The Beast finally answered, voice terse and emotionless, surprising Beau.

“Really?” The boy almost couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, but you have to be back after two weeks. Exactly after two weeks. Not a day too late. I will give you till midnight to arrive on that last day.” His terms was clear, and Beau happily accepted them. Even just two weeks with his family was better than none.

“Thank you, Beast. Thank you!” He responded, hugging the furry body close to him for the first time. He didn’t notice the fierce look of longing that the Beast gave him.

The Beast had Beau dropped off by a fancy carriage, right to the boy’s doorstep. Then, he left, leaving one final warning with the boy. “Two weeks. Remember that.”

The boy nodded in reply, turning away, and knocked on the door to his family’s small home. His father opened, and when he saw it was Beau, took his son into his arms, just holding him for the longest while.

“Oh, Beau, how your old father has missed you.” He said, finally leaning back to look at the boy in his arms. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw how well fed and dressed the boy looked, and thanked his lucky stars.

“I can’t stay long, Papa,” The boy answered, equally overjoyed at the prospect of being with his father. “Only two weeks, and then I must return. But don’t worry father, I’m not suffering there. The Beast isn’t really a bad person, though he gets a little angry sometimes.”

“I see,” The man replied, hugging his son one more time as if unable to believe he was there, before he called out for his daughters. “Desiree, Bebe, guess who has returned!?!”

The girls rushed into the room, thinking a wealthy guest was visiting with gifts, and deflated upon seeing Beau, though they soon realized that their original guess was not far off.

“Beau,” Both of them gasped, looking surprised. They both clustered around him, touching his fine clothes and jewelry. “Where did you get such lovely things?”

The naive Beau did not sense the envy in their stares, and answered lightly.

“I got it from the Beast, dear sisters, but I would trade away all this finery to return to your side.” He told them softly, filled with melancholy, but was soon distracted when they both began asking for gifts. He began handing out some fancy ball gowns that the Beast had bought for him, hoping he would eventually relent and wear it, and didn’t notice the almost hateful looks his sisters gave him.

Over the next few days, Beau’s sisters manipulated them into spending as much time with them as possible, hoping to keep him from returning to the Beast’s chateau, where he would lived such a pampered life. There reasons for wanting him around, however, were not so valiant, as the only reason they did it was because of their envy.

Finally, when the two weeks were finally over, Beau decided he had to return to the Beast’s side, mournfully telling his sisters that he had to leave.

“No, Beau,” They both said, clutching him close and crying pseudo-tears. “Stay a few more days! Stay a few more days!”

And the boy couldn’t refuse them, especially when his father, though he hadn’t said anything, gave him a sad, lamenting look.

“Alright then,” He said with a sigh, smiling tiredly. “I’ll stay for a few more days.”

Even throughout the cheers of his family, when midnight came, he could swear he heard the pained cry of a dying animal, sounding more human than beast at one point. Beau shivered, but shrugged it off.

Beau was dreaming again, this time of a woman rather than his mysterious male lover. Even he could admit that she was breathtakingly beautiful, with blonde hair that looked pinkish, as if mixed with blood. Her wide, green eyes were filled with anger, frightening him, but there was something maternal about her as well, as she pulled his smaller, shivering form into her strong arms.

“Beau...Beau...I expected so much more from you.” She said softly, shaking her blood tinged blonde locks.

“Wh..what do you mean?” He asked, unable to hide the tremble in his voice. She gazed back at him with disappointed verdant eyes. He didn’t know why, but the thought of her disappointment—especially in him—bothered him more than it should have.

“I thought that Leonhart was the only Narcissus between you two, but, in a sense, you are too. You love him, but you cannot accept him in his current form, and that is unacceptable. Love should transcend all boundaries, but I suppose you’re too young to understand that. And now...” She trailed off, and Beau’s eyes widened with fear, dreading what she would next say. “Now he will die...because you couldn’t love him...as the Beast.”

And Beau’s eyes widened further, tears streaming from them, realization dawning.

“You mean...but I do love him, beast or not. I will stay with him forever, even if he is less than human, at least his heart is human. Please, take me to him. Let me see if I can save him!” And the woman smiled in approval, handing him a ring with a ruby-made rose on it.

“When you wake up, this ring will be on your left hand ring finger. Twist it three times, and it will take you to his side.” Beau nodded, and gasped a little when the woman pulled him into her arms. “Save him, Beau. Don’t let this end in tragedy.”

And Beau promised not to. After all, he wanted things to end happily too.

When Beau woke up, it was in a cold sweat, shaking from the nightmare he’d had.

“It was only a dream...” He whispered to himself, though he didn’t really believe it. He looked down at his hand and eyes widened. “No...not a dream, but a premonition. Oh, Beast.”

He broke down and began to sob, but pulled back with a newfound determination when he remembered what the woman had told him. He could save Beast...he could...with the help of the ring. He twisted it once, twice, three times, marveling as the world began to spin around him.

“Beast...no, Leonhart, here I come.” He disappeared in a flurry of rose petals, leaving only those behind as evidence that he’d ever been there in the first place.

When Beau arrived at Beast’s chateau, it was right before the closed door that Beast had forbidden him to answer. He knocked on it, and though no one responded, he knew in his heart of hearts that Beast was indeed within the room.

“I’m coming in...” He whispered softly, pushing at the door weakly. It didn’t open. “I’m coming in!” He said with more determination, and the door slammed open, exposing the horrible sight inside.

Beast lay still among his roses, all browned and dead, though just a few weeks ago they were a bright red. Now, the only read was the blood that marred the Beast’s once clean fur, tainting it.

“He’s dead...” Beau whispered, falling to the floor, amongst the dried petals. “Dead of a broken heart...”

But then, suddenly, he heard a voice speak within his mind, sounding like the voice of the woman in his dream.

“Love has killed him, but love can also bring him back...” He stared at the Beast’s body blankly after hearing this, unsure of what to do for a few minutes, before he crawled over on his hands and knees.

“Leonhart...Beast, no matter who you are, I, Beau Ancelin, youngest son of a once wealthy merchant, am in love with you,” He pressed a kiss to the gaping, limp mouth, marveling at how nice and sweet it felt, before reluctantly pulling back. “If you die now, I will surely die with you, mon coeur, mon âme, mon amour.”

Nothing happened for a few seconds. Then a minute. Then half an hour. Beau broke down, crying his heart out, and didn’t notice how the roses, alive once more, were swirling their petals around the Beast’s still form, transforming the furry patches to soft, human skin.

The Beast, now Leonhart de Christian once more, lifted himself off the floor, noticing the still crying Beau.

“Hey, beautiful flower, why are you crying? You’re ruining my happy moment. I finally got you to accept my proposal.” He said with a pout, laughing slightly when the boy looked up in shock and bounded into him, dropping them both in the magical flower bed. He kissed back happily when Beau planted soft, pliable lips to his own.

“I love you, Leonhart.” The boy finally said, pulling back when they both finally needed to breathe.

“I love you too, my little rose.” Leonhart responded, nuzzling his straight nose to the small button nose in front of him. They kissed once more.

Echo and Merope watched from Olympus, high above the clouds, both munching on snacks and drinking wine to celebrate.

“Now that’s more like it!” Echo finally said, pulling Merope closer by the shoulders. The little fairy flushed, but had an equally bright smile stretched out on her lips.

Soon after that, the world marveled at the return of the lovely Leonhart de Christian, especially when he publicly proposed to the son of a once wealthy merchant, now little more than a peasant. Many people thought that whatever ‘beast’ had kidnaped the beautiful model must have brainwashed him because he was infinitely kinder to the people around him. He began regularly donating money to the poor of France, even purchasing his new father-in-law a small but lovely house to reside in with his daughters. The wedding went smoothly enough, though rumors spread a bit when a beautiful, and almost magical young woman kissed both men open mouth during the wedding. They, though disgruntled, brushed it off. The last wise words Monsieur de Christian left us with before his honeymoon was, quote, “Beware of those damned fairies.”

And They Lived Happily Ever After

The End

A/N: Long, isn't it? But I'm actually only half way through Nano, and I only have four days left. D: I'm losing...ah well, can't win 'em all. This just proves that I can't be forced to update if I just don't feel like it. ^^' Hope you liked this entire story, either way. I mean, if someone did, then it was worth it. :)

Thanks: Everyone who read, reviewed, or added this story to their alerts/favorites.

Didzease: Love your penname. ^^ But anyway, I'm glad you like it. This one was meant to be happy, and I hope you liked it too.

ScarletHyacinth: I already replied to you, but I just wanted to tell you that I hope you like this one. Not a tragedy, and Beau and Leon are relatively close in age. About a year or two apart.

R&R: Review, pretty please? Seriously, I think you readers are taking advantage of my quick updates. --sigh-- You're right, I'll update either way since I'm writing for Nano, but, once the month is over, I'll go back to writing Boy Bride and possibly Silent Song, and I probably won't update this in a while.