Disney - Outsides
Title: The Bells Of Fate
Fandom: Disney - The Hunchback Of Notre Dame/Beauty And The Beast
Prompt: Outsides
Pairing: Quasimodo/Belle
Words: 497
Rating: G
The Feast of Fools is only days away when Quasimodo descends from his tower in the dead of night. He’s been arguing with the gargoyles about attending the festival, about finally leaving the safety of his sanctuary, but he finds he simply cannot wait another day. His resolve feels stronger than he’s ever known it, his loneliness more painful, and he slips out over the rooftops without a backward glance.
His heart thuds in his chest, palms sweating enough to make his grip slippery, and he’s not far from the cathedral when his hands slide on a weathervane, metal scratching skin, and he tumbles down to the street below.
He lands with a miserable clatter, trying to pull himself up instantly, ready to race for the shadows. But a gentle hand lands on his shoulder, and Quasimodo finds himself looking up into a warm pair of brown eyes.
She’s beautiful, and she smiles at him kindly. “Are you hurt?”
Quasimodo shakes his head desperately, finding he’s suddenly forgotten how to use his legs. “I-I’m fine,” he stutters.
“You’re bleeding,” she murmurs, so worried for him, and Quasimodo realises his heart is racing in a very different way. “Let me help.”
She tenderly wraps a handkerchief around the wound, and Quasimodo hears himself blurt out, “Aren’t you frightened of me?”
He can feel himself blushing. Of course she’s frightened of him, who wouldn’t be frightened by a face like his.
But she tilts her head in confusion, still cradling his hand between her own. “Why would I be frightened?”
“Well, be-because I’m so -” He frowns, sighing sadly. “I’m so ugly.”
Her eyes widen, and he feels her squeeze his hand. “You don’t frighten me at all,” she insists, so sincere that it makes Quasimodo dizzy. “It’s who we are that matters, not what we look like. Looking into your eyes, I can see you have a beautiful soul.”
It can’t be true, the complete opposite of Frollo’s lessons. But for the first time in his life Quasimodo forgets to be ashamed of himself, and he smiles for her, broad and happy.
She smiles back, the most lovely thing he’s ever seen, and he realises that it’s because he can see her soul too.
“Were you headed somewhere?” she asks, and Quasimodo squirms, gaze drifting back to the cathedral.
“No, not really,” he sighs. “I wanted to see the city but -”
“How wonderful!” she exclaims, excitedly pulling him to his feet. “I could show you my favourite places, if you’d like.”
Quasimodo should return home, he knows it, but instead he nods enthusiastically. Her arm slides through the crook of his elbow, her body small and warm beside his own.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I never introduced myself,” she says as she guides him down the street. “My name is Belle.”
He barely stifles his gasp, giddy and awed, and although the night is quiet, Quasimodo still hears the sounds of Notre Dame’s ringing bells within his mind.
Fandom: Disney - The Hunchback Of Notre Dame/Beauty And The Beast
Prompt: Outsides
Pairing: Quasimodo/Belle
Words: 497
Rating: G
The Feast of Fools is only days away when Quasimodo descends from his tower in the dead of night. He’s been arguing with the gargoyles about attending the festival, about finally leaving the safety of his sanctuary, but he finds he simply cannot wait another day. His resolve feels stronger than he’s ever known it, his loneliness more painful, and he slips out over the rooftops without a backward glance.
His heart thuds in his chest, palms sweating enough to make his grip slippery, and he’s not far from the cathedral when his hands slide on a weathervane, metal scratching skin, and he tumbles down to the street below.
He lands with a miserable clatter, trying to pull himself up instantly, ready to race for the shadows. But a gentle hand lands on his shoulder, and Quasimodo finds himself looking up into a warm pair of brown eyes.
She’s beautiful, and she smiles at him kindly. “Are you hurt?”
Quasimodo shakes his head desperately, finding he’s suddenly forgotten how to use his legs. “I-I’m fine,” he stutters.
“You’re bleeding,” she murmurs, so worried for him, and Quasimodo realises his heart is racing in a very different way. “Let me help.”
She tenderly wraps a handkerchief around the wound, and Quasimodo hears himself blurt out, “Aren’t you frightened of me?”
He can feel himself blushing. Of course she’s frightened of him, who wouldn’t be frightened by a face like his.
But she tilts her head in confusion, still cradling his hand between her own. “Why would I be frightened?”
“Well, be-because I’m so -” He frowns, sighing sadly. “I’m so ugly.”
Her eyes widen, and he feels her squeeze his hand. “You don’t frighten me at all,” she insists, so sincere that it makes Quasimodo dizzy. “It’s who we are that matters, not what we look like. Looking into your eyes, I can see you have a beautiful soul.”
It can’t be true, the complete opposite of Frollo’s lessons. But for the first time in his life Quasimodo forgets to be ashamed of himself, and he smiles for her, broad and happy.
She smiles back, the most lovely thing he’s ever seen, and he realises that it’s because he can see her soul too.
“Were you headed somewhere?” she asks, and Quasimodo squirms, gaze drifting back to the cathedral.
“No, not really,” he sighs. “I wanted to see the city but -”
“How wonderful!” she exclaims, excitedly pulling him to his feet. “I could show you my favourite places, if you’d like.”
Quasimodo should return home, he knows it, but instead he nods enthusiastically. Her arm slides through the crook of his elbow, her body small and warm beside his own.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I never introduced myself,” she says as she guides him down the street. “My name is Belle.”
He barely stifles his gasp, giddy and awed, and although the night is quiet, Quasimodo still hears the sounds of Notre Dame’s ringing bells within his mind.