Gaston

I leaned back in my chair, my smile lazy as I met Gaston's overconfident gaze. "Nice to meet you too… Mr. Narcissist."

The room fell into a stunned silence, the weight of my remark hanging in the air. Ruby gasped audibly, her tiny hands covering her mouth as her wide eyes darted between Gaston and me. Belle, standing beside me, tried to stifle a laugh, but the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement.

Gaston's smirk faltered, his brow furrowing as he processed the insult. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me," I said evenly, keeping my tone casual but firm.

The patrons seated nearby exchanged glances, chuckling softly at my boldness. Gaston's face darkened, his jaw clenching as his pride took a hit.

"You've got a big mouth for someone so scrawny," Gaston growled, puffing out his chest and stepping closer. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

I raised an eyebrow, unbothered by his looming figure. "Oh, I know exactly who I'm talking to—a guy who probably spends more time flexing in mirrors than doing anything useful."

A ripple of laughter spread through the tavern, and Gaston's nostrils flared. His hands curled into fists at his sides as he towered over me. "You've got a lot of nerve, little man. Do you think you're funny?"

I tilted my head, smirking. "Funny? Not particularly. Honest? Absolutely."

The tension in the room thickened as the crowd settled in, watching intently. Belle groaned audibly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Gaston, just drop it. You don't need to pick a fight with everyone who doesn't fall at your feet."

Gaston ignored her, his glare burning into me. "You think you're clever, don't you? Let's see how clever you are when you're flat on the floor."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Relax, big guy. You're taking this way too seriously. Besides, you started it."

By now, the entire tavern was engrossed in the exchange, the air buzzing with murmurs and suppressed laughter. Gaston's face was an alarming shade of red, his ego visibly fraying at the edges.

Belle stood abruptly, stepping between us. "That's enough, both of you! Gaston, go find someone else to impress. And you—" she shot me a sharp look, though her eyes betrayed a hint of amusement, "try not to provoke him. It's not worth it."

Gaston ignored her completely, He jabbed a thumb toward himself, his voice booming. "Do you think you're a match for me? I'm the strongest man in the village—the only one worthy of Belle!"

Belle rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "I'm standing right here, Gaston."

But Gaston had already turned to the crowd, feeding off their attention. With dramatic flair, he leaped onto the nearest table, spreading his arms wide to silence the murmurs.

"Right from the moment when I met her, saw her, I said she's gorgeous, and I fell!"

He gestured grandly toward Belle, who groaned and covered her face with one hand. Undeterred, Gaston flexed his biceps, the tavern erupting into cheers as he basked in their admiration.

"Here in town, there's only she, Who is beautiful as me,

So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle!"

He grabbed a mug of ale from the bar, spinning it theatrically before raising it high.

"Look at this face, chiseled to perfection!" he sang, winking at the triplet Bimbettes, who sighed dreamily in unison.

"No one's got a jawline so divine!

When it comes to pure attraction,

There's no other man who shines!"

The Bimbettes swayed toward him, singing in harmony, "Ohhhh, Gaston!"

With a flourish, Gaston plucked a bouquet of fake flowers from a vase and dropped to one knee before Belle.

"Belle, oh Belle, just say the word!

Together we'll be splendid!

I'll build us a mansion, golden and grand,

And your fairytale will be splendid!"

He finished with an exaggerated bow, arms outstretched as if expecting a standing ovation. The tavern burst into applause and cheers, mugs clinking together in support of his ridiculous theatrics.

I leaned back, clapping slowly and deliberately. "Wow, Gaston. That was… something. Not sure if you're trying to woo Belle or audition for The Ballad of Me, Myself, and I. But hey, at least you're confident."

The crowd laughed again, and Gaston's smug grin twisted into a scowl. His nostrils flared as he clenched his fists.

"How about we settle this, little man?" Gaston growled, stepping down from the table. "A fight. Right here, right now. Let's see who's better for Belle!"

I sighed, exasperated. "Really? Fighting me over a woman I barely know? That's… charming. Very knightly of you."

Belle stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Gaston, stop it! Don't fight him! He's not even my suitor—I just met him!"

Gaston held up his hands in mock innocence. "Who said anything about fists, my dear Belle? No, no. I'm proposing something far more civilized." He turned to me, his smirk returning. "How about an arm-wrestling match? Or are you afraid to embarrass yourself in front of everyone?"

I sighed, already regretting the attention. "And why should I?"

"Oh, poor me! I didn't realize we had a coward among us!" Gaston said loudly, laughing as he spread his arms. The crowd joined in, egging him on.

Belle groaned. "This is ridiculous, Gaston."

I sighed and leaned forward. "Fine. If it'll shut you up, let's do it. But if I win, you won't bother me again."

Gaston grinned, clapping his hands together. "Perfect! Let's have ourselves a duel!"

The crowd cheered as a sturdy wooden table was cleared for the match. Gaston rolled up his sleeves dramatically, flexing his muscles for the crowd as he settled into his seat. I sat across from him, clasping his hand. His grip was like iron, but I met it with a firm hold of my own.

Ruby grabbed our hands and placed them together on the table. "Okay! When I say go, you start!"

I gave Gaston a smirk as I tightened my grip. "Ready to lose, Mr. Narcissist?"

His eyes narrowed, his knuckles already whitening. "Dream on, twig."

Ruby raised her hands in the air, pausing dramatically. "Ready… set… GO!"

And just like that, the battle began.

Gaston's muscles rippled as he pushed, his knuckles turning white from the strain. His face twisted with effort, but I matched him, not budging an inch. My arm was starting to feel the burn, the pressure building, but I held my ground. The crowd murmured in anticipation, unsure of who would win.

Gaston grunted, trying to push my hand down, his elbow slipping slightly on the slick wood of the table. I gritted my teeth, feeling the pull of his strength, but I wasn't about to let him win. I tightened my grip, channeling everything I had, focusing on the strength I knew I could draw from within.

"Come on, little man!" Gaston taunted, his voice strained but confident. "You can't beat me. I'm the strongest man in this village!"

I smirked, my teeth gritted. "We'll see about that."

With a sudden shift, I pushed back against him. Gaston's eyes widened, and for a moment, he faltered. His elbow trembled on the table, the strain on his face intensifying. Slowly, inch by inch, I began to gain ground.

The crowd gasped, some of them clearly surprised at the sudden shift in momentum. Ruby's eyes widened, her hands clasped in front of her mouth as she watched intently. Belle, too, was watching, a mixture of disbelief and amusement crossing her face.

Gaston growled, his bicep bulging, sweat dripping from his forehead as he tried to push back with everything he had. But I wasn't giving up.

The table creaked under the pressure. The entire tavern seemed to be holding its breath as our arms shook violently with the effort. My muscles burned, the strain pushing me to the edge, but I refused to let up.

Then with a deafening CRACK, the table split in two, sending both of us stumbling back. The room went silent in shock, everyone staring at the broken wood.

Ruby's small voice broke the tension. "It's a tie!"

The crowd erupted into laughter and cheers. Gaston stared at the broken table, dumbfounded, while Belle shook her head, muttering under her breath.

I leaned back in my chair, taking a deep breath as I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead. My arm was sore, but I couldn't help but smirk. "Guess we're evenly matched, huh, big guy?"

Gaston opened his mouth to retort, but before he could get a word out, Lefou rushed into the tavern, slightly out of breath. He leaned in close and whispered something urgently into Gaston's ear. Gaston's brows furrowed, and he stood abruptly, straightening his jacket with a scowl.

He shot a glance at me, his expression still stormy. "We're not done here," he growled, jabbing a finger in my direction before turning on his heel and storming out of the tavern, Lefou trailing behind him.

As the door slammed shut behind them, Belle let out a long-suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What a headache," she muttered under her breath. Shaking her head, she turned to me. "Well then, I should get going. I still have things to do."

I nodded, finishing the last of my drink. "Of course. Don't let me keep you."

Belle smiled faintly, then turned to Ruby. "Would you like to come along with me, Ruby?"

Ruby hesitated, looking between Belle and me. "But I still need to guide Oppa!" she said, her voice soft and adorably determined.

I chuckled lightly. "It's okay, Ruby. You should go with Belle. I'll stay here for now and rent a place in the tavern."

Ruby tilted her head, clearly reluctant, but after a moment, she nodded. "Okie dokie!" she said cheerfully, skipping over to Belle's side.

Belle offered me a polite nod, then turned and headed for the door with Ruby in tow. The two disappeared into the busy streets outside, leaving me in the now-quieter tavern.

After finishing my meal, I made my way to the bar. The bartender, a burly man with a bushy mustache, looked up from cleaning a mug and raised an eyebrow. "Need something else?"

"How much for lodging?" I asked, leaning on the counter.

The bartender grunted. "For how many?"

"For one."

"Fifty copper coins for two days," he replied gruffly, setting the mug down.

"And does that include meals?"

The bartender's mustache twitched as he nodded. "One silver coin, and that'll cover your lodging and meals for two days."

I pulled a silver coin from my pocket and handed it over. "Then I'll take the lodging with meals."

The bartender took the coin, inspecting it briefly before pocketing it. With a deft hand, he grabbed a key from a hook behind the bar and tossed it to me. "Third floor, left side, room number nine."

Catching the key, I nodded. "Thanks."

He grunted in reply and returned to his task of cleaning mugs. Pocketing the key, I headed toward the staircase, weaving through the other patrons.

As I made my way to the stairs, my mind already on the thought of finally resting, I accidentally bumped into someone sitting near the bottom of the staircase. The figure was cloaked in a dark hood, their entire body shrouded in shadow.

"Sorry about that," I said, stepping back and glancing down at them.

The figure shifted slightly but didn't look up. "It's okay," the voice replied, low and gravelly. There was something odd about the tone—calm but laced with an undertone that made my instincts prickle.

I nodded, offering a brief, polite smile, and continued up the stairs. The wood creaked under my weight, and as I climbed higher, the sounds of the tavern began to fade behind me.

Unbeknownst to me, the hooded figure tilted his head, a smirk spreading across his partially concealed face. The edge of the hood slipped just enough to reveal a long, sharp snout, gleaming teeth visible as he muttered to himself.

"He has the smell of the Beast," the man growled softly, his voice almost a purr of satisfaction. "How interesting…"

His clawed hand rested on the table in front of him, drumming lightly against the wood as if contemplating his next move. For a moment, his red feral eyes glinted beneath the hood before he leaned back into the shadows, his smirk lingering.