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This was not something he had done for nearly a decade! He sat hunched over in the small basin of bubbling water and scowled. A deep rumbling in his chest growled upward through his throat and he blinked, staring at the pedestal across the room. The rose settled upon it mocked him. Only a few months left.

Another downpour of hot, bubbly water washed over him and he flexed his claws against the copper basin he sat naked within. He wanted to snarl and snap, wanted to snap that damn coatrack in half!

A click-click-clicking caught his attention and his blue eyes turned to the candelabra jumping up onto the stool beside the basin.

"Tonight is the night!" Lumiere said as he grinned with the same excitement Beast was supposed to feel.

Another bucket washed over him, pushing his long fur atop his head forward over his eyes. He licked at the warmth at his lips instinctively and reached up to pull the brown tresses away from his face. "I'm not sure I can do this," he said, glancing again to the rose, then down at his fat, round belly.

"You don't have time to be timid!" the candelabra said and pressed one of his candle-hands to the main stem of his chest. "You must be bold! Daring!"

"Bold," Beast echoed and set his palms against the edge of the tub again. "Daring!" He lifted himself out of the water and shook himself from head to toe in the same way he'd dried himself whenever his fur had gotten wet in the past. He instantly regretted it as he felt every strand of fur on his body stand straight up.

He stood upright and stepped out of the tub, ignoring the soaked candelabra on the floor. He strode past him, his feet slapping wetly against the tiled flooring of the chamber.

"There will be music," Lumiere said without missing a beat. "Romantic candle light!" Beast was acutely aware of the candelabra exhaling, no doubt re-igniting his wicks as he did. "Provided by myself."

As he sat down in front of the vanity, the cursed coatrack stepped forward and started to quickly wrap a towel around his midsection. Beast lifted his arms out of the way and stared down at his bulging pecs and rounding middle. The towel covered them quickly and shimmied over him, rubbing him dry with more speed and less gentleness than Beast would have liked from a lowly servant. But it would be worth it, he reminded himself.

"And when the moment is right," Lumiere said as the towel rubbed over Beast's rump and sheathe, "You will confess your love!"

"Yes," the beast agreed. "I co-c..." He stared at his reflection and doubt filled his heart. He was a monster. An animal. She would run away. Or worse, laugh at him. "No!" he said and cast his eyes downward to the top of the vanity and his belly rubbing against it. He lifted his enormous hands and rubbed the rounded midsection, a nervous habit he'd acquired in the months since Belle had arrived. "I can't..."

"You care for the girl, don't you?"

The coatrack cut him off, shoving combs into his hair and snipping away. If Beast weren't suddenly so occupied with the future, with what this night would hold, he would have indeed snapped the thing in two. "More than anything!" he said, looking at Lumiere's reflection in the vanity mirror.

"Well you must tell her!" Lumiere said. As the coatrack stepped back, the candelabra's voice heightened and he called out "Viola! You look so... so...." It trailed off again and Beast knew why.

"Stupid," he finished, starign at the reflection of a monstrous animal with a curly beard and elegant curls on either side of his head that may have looked... decent on any other French noble, but on him it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen. Belle would laugh at him before he even tried to confess his love.

"Not quite what we were looking for," Lumiere agreed. "Perhaps a little more off the top?"

A sharp yank drew Beast's head back and he arched his back to follow the tug. He stared at the scissor blades looming overhead, then snapped upright again as the coatrack went snip-snip-snipping away!

"Hem hem hem!" Cogsworth's voice called from the doorway behind him. Beast's blood ran cold and he closed his blue eyes. "Your lady awaits!" the butler finished.

"We must get you dressed!" Lumiere exclaimed. "Hurry now!"

With a groan, Beast stood away from the vanity and strode to a wardrobe nearby that opened up to reveal dark slacks, a button down white shirt and an elegant blue coat. As he stared inward, the coatrack pulled his hair back and tied it into a tail, as was fairly normal for nobles and people with any decency.

"But what about my gut?" he asked, staring down at his round middle. "I don't think it'll fit."

"Probably not," Lumiere said and hummed thoughtfully. "Ah! Belle has seen it plenty hasn't she? You locked her away in this castle when it was barely showing!"

Grumblin, Beast nodded and started to pull the clothing onto his large body with the help of the furniture nearby. Surprisingly, it all fit rather nicely. Not too tight, but not too loose. Even the shirt and vest contoured perfectly around his belly and tucked into his trousers comfortably.

"I had the spinning wheel and the wardrobes work day in and day out to make sure it fit just right for this occasion!" Lumiere said. "Now hurry! Mustn't keep our guest waiting!" The candelabra ushered Beast toward the open door out into the corridor. He hopped frantically along toward the door that led to the main ballroom ahead, barely glancing over his candlesticks to see if Beast followed.

With a moment's apprehension, Beast rushed after his confidante. He stopped in the doorway and his jaw fell open as music graced his pointed ears and across the stairway, Belle descended like an angel from on high.