Blowing Off Some Steam -- Hollow Bastion, Belle and Beast's room [COMPLETE]

[livre_du_coeur]

When Belle got back to her room she finally allowed herself to show the emotion that had built up during her conversation with Sora. She wasn't truly angry, more annoyed, really. His whole attitude had rubbed her the wrong way. And those comments about the Council, treating her as if she was just trying to keep him under their thumb. Maybe she

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[twisted_face]

It was Adam's turn to cross his arms in front of himself. "Don't place the blame on me. Sora's the one who took her away." Apparently the kid had hid her afterwards. Not that Adam could really blame Sora; if Adam had the choice, Belle wouldn't be in this Council at all.

"And how can you be so mad with him." He gestured hotly towards her, "You know I would do the same with you if I had the option."

[livre_du_coeur]

That was a step too far. She didn't mind his concern, enjoyed it in fact, but to imply he could tell her what she could and couldn't do? She nearly jumped out of the chair.

"And what gives either of you the right to make that decision for us? We all have to take our own risks. Keeping someone safe doesn't mean locking them in a cage. You of all people should know that! You already had to let me go once in order to keep me. Remember when Papa was sick? If Kairi doesn't want to be involved, then she doesn't have to be. But it's her choice, and mine!"

[twisted_face]

Beast stood, beginning to get angry. "I never kept you away from the Council. I've done nothing but tolerate you going back and forth between the castle and here," he said through gritted teeth. If he didn't growl out the words like that, he would end up yelling.

Taking offense at the reference to how he had treated her early on, he added, "And don't you dare throw the past in my face like that!"

[livre_du_coeur]

Belle glared back at him, hands on hips. "Oh, you've tolerated it, that's big of you. I wasn't the one who decided you had to come with me every time." Could she say something without provoking him? "And I wasn't trying to throw anything in your face, I was just making a point. You trusted me to do what I needed to then. Has that suddenly changed?"

[twisted_face]

He began pacing, glaring right back at her. "I have no choice but to follow you. What if I didn't? Would you do something as foolish as running off into the woods again? You can't fight the Heartless."

[livre_du_coeur]

"Maybe I can't fight the way you can," Belle waved a hand at him, "but I fight damn hard and you know it. And that's hardly an issue here, is it? Anyway, what has that got to do with it? That was me following you!"

[twisted_face]

He sighed aloud, exasperated. "The point is that you can't protect yourself well enough." If he hadn't have shown up, she would be dead.

"Would you rather I leave you here then?" he asked indignantly. "You can stay with your Princesses," he opened his arms to indicate himself, "and be free of this terrible monster!" The past couple weeks of the castle's rumors and the enlightening discussions with Kefka were getting to him.

"I'm not good enough for a Princess of Heart." The last words were said with a sneer.

[livre_du_coeur]

Belle would have been less stunned if he'd slapped her across the face.
"For God's sake, Adam, is that what this is about? I'll have you remember it was that 'terrible monster' I fell in love with 4 years ago. I may be a Princess, but it wasn't some glittering knight on a white horse that swept me off my feet. It was you, just as you are today." Suddenly, it started to click. "Is this what's been going on the last few weeks? The temper, the hunting to all hours of the night, everything? This was, what, self-pity?"

[twisted_face]

"Self-pity?" he bellowed. She couldn't have offended him more if she tried. "You think it's all out of self-pity? Next time you get turned into a monster, tell me how easy it is to deal with it. Tell me how easy it is to keep control! You don't know the half of what's going on in here!" Without thinking, his hand had momentarily gone to his chest.

How could she stand there and judge him like that? How could she assume what he was going through?

[livre_du_coeur]

Beast's hand going to his heart did not escape Belle's notice, but she wasn't in a mindset to think of it much at the moment.

"Well, what am I supposed to think? Maybe if you'd tell me what's going on every once in a while I wouldn't have to guess. If you need to cool off by tearing up Heartless in the woods, fine, but could you at least give me a clue why you feel like you need to?"

[twisted_face]

"You wouldn't understand," he said angrily as he heded for the door. If ever, now was certainly not the time he would be opening up. And he was done with this. A few more rounds of this and the furniture in their room would go flying.

[livre_du_coeur]

"Apparently not," she said to his back. She couldn't resist having the last word. But now what? Did she let him just walk out? If he did, what would he be taking with him? But she couldn't think of how to make him stay. She wasn't in a mood to apologize, and if they kept at it like this there was a good chance it would get more serious than words. As she went through this in her head, the chance to say anything else passed.