Briar tamped around Vesper in full circles - he was brimming with his excitement for the day, previous nerves forgotten due to the rush of last evening's performance and the call-back for an encore tonight. He did little skips & prances as the two chatted about and along their way returning to the Marigold grand theater the second morning in a row.

They were told after the show that this production of Beauty & the Beast was always meant to be a multi-day recital and they were wanted to be hired on for the second - and third, if they're able! - day(s). The two saw little reason to refuse and this was an invigoration for Briar, chatting the rest of that night until they had to split back to their own homes and meet again in the dawn: only for him to continue where he left off, babbling about how fun the show had been and how well Vesper had done. Briar's absurd animation was not a rare occurrence, but he rarely had the option to ramble this long, let alone without being ushered to relax until the embarrassment rang in. He had found a passion to share with Vesper, and there was nothing stronger to Briar than passion.

"I'm tellin' ya', Ves, you were a riot. Golly, all that "oooohh, Lumiere, you scoundreeelll~"", he trilled in an attempt at Vesper's theater voice, though his could especially not dip that low. It cracked, and he giggled, and he spun in place while holding tight to his staff. "Ehehehee. It was real good, it was, and you were just the cutest darn clock durin' Be Our Guest - I-I mean, I'm duly sorry for my own silliness durin' the show 'n all that, uhm, Lumiere was a touch of a goof, but gee willikers pally you rocked your first show! I can't wait for tonight's ~" He beamed, grinning with all his teeth until his eyes were forced to squint shut.

[ 319 ]

Soft words from an excitable,  eager boy persist even after they part ways for the night. Vesper has a hard time sleeping that night, the memory of their performance playing back in his head over and over with the palpable elation of an encore awaiting him tomorrow. Ves wants to see him. He can't remember falling asleep - somewhere in the dark hours surely, wiggling so feverishly between his sheets to the point of exhaustion.

The curtain rises on the new day with the pulsing hum of a bright stage light shining through the window blinds. A bombastic, showmanly burst out of his blankets as he scampers about to get ready for the busy day ahead of him. He wastes no time meeting up with Briar, rose pink cheeks while he fiddles with the fringes of his hair. Simply lovely. Even after the passing of an entire night, the little candle was burning so passionately. Vesper could feel the warmth - little droplets of wax coating him like the morning dew. There was a weightless comfort to his exuberance - to be a leaf so fortuitous to bask in that tiny oasis. He was happier than words could express and so, he simply smiled with adoring eyes, hanging onto every dewdrop.

"Ooooh dear! Lumiere, does your silliness know no bounds~!" Vesper nudges and giggles at the boy, a playful blep of his tongue. He does his best to imitate his tenor from the night before but it comes off a bit rough in the early morning. "I don't know, Bri... If I was the cutest clock - then you're definitely the cutest candle ever~ Still, I'm really excited for tonight, too. I hope I can hear you sing again~" His arms fold in front, gentle taps on his elbow as he hugs himself, with a curious head tilted to almost beg at the boy.

[310]

Vesper was a good sport about Briar's exuberance and the ball remain passed between the two on each serve - tossing his joy to have it returned ad repeat, giggling with each bound. The other boy didn't seem tired of his energy and the thought of restraining his excitement hadn't yet crossed Briar's mind with no negative feedback. If anything, Vesper seemed just about as over the little cloud they shared since the previous adventure. He seemed well enough to tease Briar, at least, earning an early rosy blush across soft cheeks. "H-hey now! Awh, gee, Ves, it's not fair you don't gotta song to sing ... I'll ask if maybe we can't switch roles tonight! Or - or -- I'll write Clocksworth a darn song m'self! ... I wanna hear you sing, too!!"

Briar didn't have to insist on his wish for too long; as the boys found themselves again at the Marigold Grand Theater, their Director was eager to receive them. His hat pressed ponderously between his hands that waved it in a sprightly manner once Bri and Ves came into view, relief clear on his face. "If it ain't my boys! Aye, this'll do! Alrighty, my little princes - listen up good. Our leads can't make it to the second show tonight and, well, someone's gotta. We came up with a fantastic idea to keep it moving and I think you'll agree! Alrighty, boys. Alright. You got it? You're gonna be our leads for the night. You'll KILL out there. Everyone loved you last night. You can do it, yeah? We'll get you over to rehearsal A S A P. Go on, then. Rooting for ya'!"

Briar froze, waving his hands, only to release a pitched 'uweeeeehhh???' after the Director's final clarifying statement. "Oh, righty. Little Briar, you're the Beast for it. Vesper, you'll be playing his Belle. This is going to be a hit. Off you go, beasties!"

[ 316 ]

Was a sunflower supposed to radiate such warmth? Just standing in proximity to the energetic boy inflamed his skin with a faint tickle of sunburn, cheeks flushing in a vivid shade of pink. A quick turn of his head, but he can't divert his eyes for long, gazing back into pure incandescence. "Y-you'd write a song for me? Th-that's silly, Bri! I can't believe you want to hear me sing. I promise I'm nowhere near as good as you." A timid elbow to poke again Briar's side that sweeps up to gently brush his bangs to the side. "Mm.. I will for you..." It was soft, almost a whisper that barely escaped Vesper's shaky lips. "I'll sing for you!" Bolder now.

Vesper had no idea his resolve would be immediately tested. The news of a change in casting immediately puts him in a main role in the production of Beauty and the Beast. Fate surely had a sense of humor, opting instead to put him into the role of the beauty despite his beastly nature. A role that had an overabundance of songs to sing to fulfill the little Beastie's wish. Vesper's reaction mirrored that of Briar's, a performance of denial in shaky paws, with a more detectable panic seeping his shocked reaction.

The show must go on, as they say. Beauty much like in the play cannot resist stealing glances at the Beast. Not in a way that would belittle him or diminish his hard work at such a difficult role. He was perfect, whether as a wild monster or a beautiful princess and Vesper only wished to be spoiled like the glutton he was for something so painfully sweet. A small sample to sate his teeth, wiggling back and forth as he memorized the script. Perhaps, a treat in return for the beastling?

"There's something sweet~ And almost kind~" He belts it out loud enough for it to grace Briar's ears, a garish tenor if a little uneven compared to the seasoned performer. His eyes search to meet his with a playful wink and giggle.

[363]

You'll sing for me? It didn't pass Briar's lips - it didn't make it further than his eyes, a twinkle to reflect the light of Vesper's tone. Oh. You'd sing for me. That's funny, Ves. He smiled, wavering with the uncontrollable brightness he shimmered accompanied. His eyes fell shut with the lilt of his head, catching the morning sun with a bloom within a moment.

You already are.

"You'll be wonderful, Ves," he hums. "You already are!"

♡ ♡ ♡

Briar was trembling in their rehearsal room together with the rest of the volunteer and mercantile actors, fumbling his hands - his paws - over each other. They had known each other through a few performances at this point; only the second for Vesper, but Briar had made an extracurricular habit of the work and he considered them a group of friends. Friends, of course, and he still couldn't look straight at them - let alone his bestest of them, who busied himself swooping through his practice notes in Belle's ball finest fit to a suit.

He looked great. Briar, however, had pin on ears and a tail and make-up that muddied his nose to a black dot with fake, sharp rows of teeth clogging up his awkward preteen mouth. He sputtered over his words, trying his best at a growl, but he scampered to hide when he drew attention - clenching his script in front of him of his flushed face with furry gloves. He squeaked. Hiccuped, as he tried his hand at his one song.

"N-no, it can't be, I'll just ignore --
But then, u-uhm, she's never looked at me that way before ...,"

He was less nervous about the performance or the role he was given and more how well he was able to present in it - which is to say, not his best, with those mewls that passed for his rumbly little yells. He could hear Vesper, see his playful motions his way, and it only made him flare brighter. He had to do this right! He had to ... m-man up! Beast up! He'd turn away, stare at himself in a mirror, and flex with a bare of his teeth when he thought no one else was looking. "C-C'mon, Bri, old boy ... be ... b-be Beastly ... Grrr ... grooooar!! Arrgh...! That's my Belle...! Rooooar ... rewr ...,"

[ 396 ]

The act of pretending to be somebody else spared Vesper his usual anxiety, though this performance gave rise to a dilemma. His rosy cheeks, teeming with embarrassment, were properly concealed by the thick layer of make-up adorning his face. Crossdressing was a new experience for the boy and he was braving this experience in a very typical boy fashion. But, it was all worth it for him. A quick stumble in his first steps wearing heeled shoes, shaky legs and jittery paws searching for stability in the form of tables, wardrobe members, anything. The sway of his hips was uneven, clumsy, but he did his best to mirror femininity. The skirt of the dress envelops his lower half completely, trailing along the wooden floor with every haphazard stride to meet with Briar a flowy twirl before showtime. He'd never looked so frilly, lacy fabric clinging to his flesh and a paw gripping tight to lift the hem to avoid tripping as he leans over with a grin. "Bonjour, Monsieur Beast~ Y'know, Brii, watching you be a little beastie makes this worth it.." He offers the ferocious critter a curtsy, so properly and painstakingly rehearsed, drawing attention to his regretfully pretty dress with a playful grin beaming bright. "You're going to be wonderful out there. But~ I can't help but feel like you'd look much, much better in a dress~ Hehe~" Not that he was complaining. Briar was adorable - impossibly so. Little taps, little scratches with a pitter patter rhythm, just as keen to steal a peek.

The sweltering heat of the stage lights and peering eyes of the crowd lurking in the penumbra. To be perceived all dolled up in an elegant, flowing dress was almost too much. Vesper paced through the prologue in a fidgety blur until he could anchor himself in the revelry of tonight's theatrics. A truncated prologue and introduction in the name of a self-titled song. "Oh, isn't this amazing?~ It's my favorite part because you'll see~ Here's where she meets Prince Charming~" A fluttering flit of his tenor to ring sweeter than his normal tone to properly portray his role. He was Belle, in this moment and until the curtains were called.

A brief respite in the transition of scenes as the beastie takes the stage for his ferocious performance. Watching him act with such ferocity was  enthralling. Chilly paws cusp his own cheeks with a slight smear of makeup from his fingers rooting for comfort against his heated face. A strong yearning in his heart to duet with his beastly prince - to dance hand in hand in hushed ballroom frolic. He liked his best friend, just as he was and always has been, but a rabid curiosity compelled a relatively devious desire - to hear the Beast roar with such unrestrained savagery that Vesper was his. Oh, could you imagine how quickly his tail would wag?

[483]

"If she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all!", growls the Beast in boyish fur to his audience of much taller, much older castle servants and the bated breaths of the scattered seats that came to the repeat performance's second day. The atmosphere was casual, friendly, as it ever was, but the people sprawled about their chairs and wooden tables enjoying their drinks in such abject merriment seemed split between two camps -- they were either here to wile away their nights or genuinely enjoyed the time spent with a low production value theater troupe.

Both camps could, in their charmed little grins and giggles, agree to one shared fact: they thought this performance had heart coming out the wazoo. Beast's actor was bursting with it, tamping about on squishy paws and little squeak growls that only pitched worse the harder he tried to be intimidating. They were wowed by Belle's more ... progressive production, just as well, and many lighthearted laughter and hoots were granted at both Briar and Vesper's expenses. They were enjoyed, regardless of any trepidations. Vesper was magnificent in his role, and Briar sold the Beast's feelings for his Beauty with earnest eyes. "I just want to do something for her."

And they danced in the ballroom under the glint of a swinging stage light, stumbling about on Briar's left feet; and their stares met, and Briar swallowed. He smiled. He giggled, forgetting himself in the moment. All those eyes on him and the Beast could still only chase Belle through his nerves and excitement and the spark of both that wavered up his spine and wiggled out that fake tail, spinning Vesper for a final dip that had them about tumbled over -- only Belle's steadiness with his arms planting on the floor keeping them from devolving into ... well, themselves.

"But then, she's never looked at me that way before ..." He reminisces later, and the play continues to its end. A love is formed. A love is set, true. A rose blooms. A little boy burns bright and rolls his shoulders, howling at the moon.

"And I've never felt this way about anyone."

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