This is my first attempt at a Beauty and the Beast (2017) story. This was all typed and edited in one sitting so please forgive any mistakes. As always I have no rights to the characters.

Chef Bouche did not see many people outside the kitchen staff. He rarely saw the master, as most of his instructions came passed down through Lumiere. He had not seen the young woman in the castle yet either, even thought Mrs. Potts reported back to the chef immediately. The two of them were thick as thieves, especially since he made her hot water, and she provided all outside kitchen news. His kitchen was the staff's resting place, their sanctuary, his home.

Mrs. Potts had told him that she was beautiful, smart and most importantly, fearless. Whatever woman lived here and could possible break the spell would need to be fearless, he told himself. The Master was not an easy man, and he had become even less agreeable overtime. The few vestiges of hope the prince had for love, had disappeared years ago. A

However, this young woman was different, or so he heard. She made a rope to climb out of the castle out of dress material. Then brought back the master after being attacked by wolves, when, any other person would leave him behind. She declined dinner demands, and she seemed to go toe-to-toe with him in everything, from conversations to fights. Yes, Chef Bouche already liked this woman.

Being bolted to a wall greatly decreased his chances of ever meeting her, because why would she ever come into the kitchen, a servants only area?

Yet, she was different, and cared little for the "status quo" so he shouldn't have been surprised when one morning, not to long after lunch, the door was softly pushed opened, and a beautiful round face appeared in the opening.

"Hello?" Called the young woman to the seemingly empty kitchen.

"Mademoiselle." The chef started. "Please please come in. How can I help you? Is everything alright? Nothing was wrong with your lunch I hope?" He concern was apparent in his voice, which the young woman noticed right away. She came into the kitchen and the Chef got his first look at the girl who had become famous among the staff.

She wore a simple blue dress, the Chef noted that his serving staff wore a fancier style then she did. However the blue dress fit her complex and bright eyes well. Her skirt was hitched, with the bottom of her bloomers showing. It was almost like she was planning on hopping on a horse and riding off at any moment. Her hair was pulled back and her eyes were curious as they took in the sights around her as she came closer to the Chef.

"Oh, of course not, lunch was amazing" She stated quickly.

"Everything here has been delicious. The best food I have ever had, honestly." She smiled before adding. "I must be address the chef, am I not?"

"Ah Oui, mademoiselle. I am Chef Bouche, Head Chef of this kitchen. It is an honor to make your acquaintance." Chef said with a flourish, bowing as much as he could with his bulking size.

"Please, call me Belle, and the honor is all mine Chef." She said with a smile. Yes, the Chef definitely liked this young woman.

"Are you just on a tour of the castles? or is there something I can help you with?" Chef asked as Belle took in their surroundings. Her eyes scanned over every nook and cranny. It was almost like she was taking inventory, and learning the lay of the land.

"I'm not sure." She said after taking a good look around. "Do you mind if I sit?" she indicated one of the white chairs around the kitchen table.

"Oh, please do." replied the chef, a side of him wondered how long ago a human had actually sat there.

She took the chair closest to him, which when he was a human, was the seat he always choose, since it was closest to the stove...now closest to him. A wave of sadness swept over him, he might never leave this kitchen again. He shook away the thoughts and returned his attention to Belle.

"So, what I can do for you?" he asked trying to cast away the lingering sadness

"So, recently, I was given the library of the castle..." her thoughts trailed off into silence.

"Yes, Belle, I had heard. It has been years since I have seen the library personally, but I remember it was really quite impressive. I used to borrow the occasional book myself." The chef sighed "I always loved The Three Musketeers as a boy."

Belle smiled at his recollection. "That is an excellent story. Now I know your are one from adventure stories" She said with a small laugh "Well, your Master has been kind enough to help me start sorting through the books. It appears that the shelves have gone unsorted for decades."

"Ahh yes mademoiselle Belle. The library was the Master's grandfather's pride and joy. The crown jewel of his castle. However, his grandfather passed when he was a baby, and his father left it alone. For the Master's father did not care for his own father. He thought he was too generous with the villagers, so I hear. The master's father used to say that he was amazed the commoners didn't steal the castle right out from under the old man."

Chef sighed. "However, the Master's mother often visited there, she did what she could to add to the collection. When she passed the young Master would order any new book he could, to keep the collection going. However keeping everything dusted and orderly is a monumental tasks, especially when the library's caretaker has been turned into a table."

The chef noticed a deep frown set across his young companions face.

"What is wrong?" He asked cautiously.

"How long has everything been like this?" She looked up at him with sadness in her eyes and gestured to the castle around them.

"I cannot tell you, sadly." The Chef sighed, letting a small puff of black smoke out as he exhaled. "At first, I thought I would try to keep track of the time by watching the sun raise and fall by it's light shining on the opposite wall. As you can see, I am not facing a window. However, it is always cloudy here, always winter. There was been no sunshine for me to watch."

Belle turned in her seat to at the wall opposite of the Chef. It was...blank, expect for the door. Her heart sank a bit. She had no idea what to say.

"I tried to keep track of the days, by counting how often I slept. However, I am not human anymore so I don't need sleep. I don't sit down, or lay down. I don't even hand hands anymore," he stated waving around his metal arms. "and hands are a chefs most important tool." The sadness started to overwhelm him, he mentally shook himself. He needed to regain his composure.

"So, as I was saying, what can I assist you with?"

Belle turned in her chair back to face the chef, her eyes watering slightly. He could see, in her eyes, that she truly felt for him. Her empathy was admirable, he thought.

"I wanted to take the Beast for assisting me with the organizing the books," she said trying to hid the sadness in her voice. "And I guess thank him for the library. These are such a kind gestures."

Belle smiled softly at the Chef, and for a moment, he thought he could see a glimmer of affection for the Master, in her eyes. She smiled bashfully and looked away, almost as if she knew he could see it.

"I know he doesn't know this," continued Belle, "but in the village, there were only a dozen or so books available to me. I had read them all, at least a dozen times. I had started to memorize them. They were the only thing that got me out of my village and away from..." she never finished her sentence, however the Chef knew what she had meant. They got her away from the everyday, the problems and loneliness.

"So this really is a big gift." Belle started again. "Even if he doesn't know it. When I was growing up, if I wanted to thank my father for something, I'd often bake him something special. A cake, or a batch of his favorite cookies, especially if we had extra butter." She smiled fondly at her memories.

The chef nodded and smiled too. He knew he was going to like Belle when she first entered the castle, but she liked to cook. She appreciated food, and she appreciated that food could make people feel loved and that made him respect her more.

Most of the women the Master had in the castle before the spell had no idea where their food came from, let alone how to cook or bake. That was just not a part of royal lessons. How to order food and how to plan the courses of a meal, yes. But how to take the raw materials and turn them into a masterpiece? No, not one knew the effort that went into it.

Typically the chef wouldn't let anyone else cook in his kitchen, it was his place, but with Belle, he felt generous. He knew she would respect his kitchen, and respect him.

"Well, Belle, please feel free to use the kitchen to make something for the Master if you would like. I would be happy to assist you in anyway." He attempted large bulking semi bow again.

Belle smiled deeply at him, as if she understood what a grand gesture it was.

"Thank you Chef, especially since this is your kingdom." He laughed and she continued "However, I don't know what I should make him. I have no idea what he likes, and the things he does like, I probably have no ability to make."

Chef Bouche reflected back of all the desserts and food he had made the Master and the young woman had a point, everything was very rich, or extremely ornate. Only in the last several years had the master started to give up his demand for those foods settling for plainer fare. Even then, by commoner standards, his "plainer fare" was probably more rich and time intensive than Belle was used to. The chef pondered for a few moments.

"Well," he started interrupting the silence. "What do you normally make your father?"

"Molasses cookies, served with milk." She smiled.

"Well, then you should make that. I could give you instructions on how to make something the Master used to eat before the curse, but that would be from me, not from you. I can safely say, he has never had Molasses cookies before. The Master only prefers the food he does, because it was what his father ordered when he was a child. So why not make him something new?"

The young woman's face lit up. "You are right my friend. I should make him something I know how to make. You are a genius."

If stoves could blush, Chef Bouche would have. "Thank you Belle, you are too kind." He said proudly. "Now, what do you need?"

He spent then quarter of an hour directing Belle around the kitchen in search of the ingredient she needed. They chatted as he directed her to the mixing bowls and spoons.

Mrs. Potts came in while Belle was measuring and pouring the ingredients together, and the sight before her, almost cracked her spout from shock. The Chef never shared his cook space with anyone else. The fact that Chef Bouche was giving Belle pointers on the easiest way to shift flour was short of a miracle.

She came over and joined the pair, while Chef put on a kettle for her. Now the chef and Belle had moved on to discussing their favorites foods.

The Chef was surprised to learned that Belle's father had done all the cooking when she was small girl and she had learn to make basic fare from him. As she got older she would learn from the other women in the village. It was one of the women who lived in the village who showed Belle how to make molasses cookies, so she could surprise her father on his birthday. And despite all the delicious food she had had since being in the castle, to this day her favorite meal was her father's rabbit stew with dumplings.

Mrs. Potts laughed, and served tea, as she told Belle and Chef Bouche about her first attempt at making cookies as a young girl. She has burned them all to a crisp while she went out to milk the cow for milk.

Belle learned that Chef Bouche had received all his training in France and had joined the castle staff when the Master was only about 11.

In what felt like no time the molasses cookies were out of the oven and set on a cooling rack. They smelled perfect. The Chef thought they were probably the best cookies he had seem in ages come out of the kitchen, he stated this fact outloud and Belle blushed.

"Oh that a real compliment dearie." Stated Mrs. Potts with a laugh. "The only other cookies that come out of this kitchen are his."

Mrs. Potts and Belle laughed as prepared the tea tray with cookies and milk and started to head out of the kitchen.

In the doorway, Belle stopped and turned back to Chef Bouche.

"Would you mind if I came to visit you again? Next time, if you would like, I can bring the Three Musketeers with me, and read it to you while to cook."

The Chef knew he was an oven, and therefore the warmth he felt inside of him was a fire. However for a moment, he felt like a man again, his heart warmed by a kind gesture from a beautiful woman. It took him a moment to compose himself and respond.

"mademoiselle Belle, if this kitchen is my kingdom, as you stated, then you are welcome in my castle at anytime. Day or night, I am always here."

She bowed as she left the room.

Chef Bouche knew in his soul, that he would used his hands again. One day soon, he would go outside and see the sunrise, because if anyone could break the curse, it would be Belle.