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[Kingdom Hearts] Stubborn
Title: Stubborn
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters/Pairing: Xaldin, Belle (implied Xaldin/Belle, if you squint?)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is, most obviously, owned by big name companies and not by a girl sitting at a laptop on her bedroom floor.
Summary: In which Xaldin has a bit of trouble persuading Belle to steal a rose.
A/N: Requested by the charming![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
keibungaku. I know this is probably nothing like what you had in mind, Kei, but I did my best. xD
Persuasion is an art. Not many have the ability to twist phrases and string together just the right words to convince one to see the light. However, it’s slightly unnerving when for all your technique and effort, you can’t get a young head-in-the-clouds woman to do something for you.
“For the last time, I am not going to help you,” Belle said fiercely, skirt in hand as she hurried down the long castle staircase. Behind her, a cloaked figure was growling silently to himself. “So just get out of this castle. You don’t belong here.”
“But neither do you, sweetheart,” the hooded man replied in an attempt to calm her down. It did quite the opposite.
“And who are you to call me ‘sweetheart’?” she snapped, looking angrier than she ever had in her life, except perhaps first time the Beast had been rude to her about dinner.
“Xaldin.” The man walked slowly down the stairs after Belle, arms clasped behind his back. “And your name, mademoiselle, is Belle, if I’m not mistaken. Charmed.”
Belle paused from her flight downwards, narrowing her eyes at the stranger. “Well I’m not. You have no right to be here, especially if you intend to harm the master of this castle.”
“Why stick up for him?” Xaldin asked, brushing aside Belle’s objections. “After all, he’s not exactly civil towards you.”
Biting her lip, Belle almost nodded before catching herself. “True, he hasn’t been the most...gracious of hosts. But he’s gotten better. He’s actually quite sweet if you get to know him.”
“Isn’t everybody?” Xaldin murmured, chuckling quietly. Stopping on the step just above Belle’s, he continued more loudly, “We just want him to cooperate, that is all. A beast like him would be quite useful.”
Belle’s nearly relaxed expression promptly became one of irritation. “You think that’s going to win me over? ‘A beast like him would be quite useful?’ I don’t care what you’re doing, but you’re not going to get help from me, and that’s final.” With a stamp of her foot to show that this conversation was over, Belle spun around and made to proceed down the rest of the stairs. Xaldin was quicker, catching her by the elbow and spinning her back towards him.
“It’s just one little task,” he told her smoothly. “You know, if I fail to achieve anything with you, I will move on to the beast himself. And I think I can be...a bit more creative in how I persuade him.”
Belle tugged her arm free, glaring. “Why can’t you understand that ‘no’ means ‘no’? And do you really think that I’m at all inclined to help a man who hides his face?”
Compliantly, Xaldin raised a hand and lowered the hood covering his face. “Better?” he prompted, grinning. Belle looked over him cautiously, as if he was trying to deceive her somehow. Her gaze stopped at his ears.
“Your ears....” she whispered, leaning forward and extending a hand to touch one of the pointed tips. Halfway there, she froze and snatched her hand back, shaking her head. “I’ve seen odder things than that.”
“But none of them more handsome than me, hm?” Xaldin commented jovially, smirking.
Belle rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you. Making jokes. You remind me of someone back in the village.” She fell silent, remembering everything that she had left behind when she had agreed to stay in this castle. It wasn’t actually that much, but it had been home.
“Do you miss it?” Xaldin inquired softly, moving closer and resting a hand on the brunette’s shoulder. “See your family and your friends? I could give you that, if you just do one little thing for me. You know you want to go back home.”
Impassively, Belle looked up at Xaldin, and they locked gazes. Finally, after what seemed like ages —
“No, not really,” Belle answered calmly, pushing away Xaldin’s arm and skipping down the last few steps. “Get out of this castle before I set the furniture on you.” Smiling, she curtsied and disappeared through a doorway off to the right of the foyer.
On the stairwell, Xaldin cursed women who thought for themselves and disappeared as well, though through a door of a slightly different kind.
~fin.
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters/Pairing: Xaldin, Belle (implied Xaldin/Belle, if you squint?)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is, most obviously, owned by big name companies and not by a girl sitting at a laptop on her bedroom floor.
Summary: In which Xaldin has a bit of trouble persuading Belle to steal a rose.
A/N: Requested by the charming
keibungaku. I know this is probably nothing like what you had in mind, Kei, but I did my best. xDPersuasion is an art. Not many have the ability to twist phrases and string together just the right words to convince one to see the light. However, it’s slightly unnerving when for all your technique and effort, you can’t get a young head-in-the-clouds woman to do something for you.
“For the last time, I am not going to help you,” Belle said fiercely, skirt in hand as she hurried down the long castle staircase. Behind her, a cloaked figure was growling silently to himself. “So just get out of this castle. You don’t belong here.”
“But neither do you, sweetheart,” the hooded man replied in an attempt to calm her down. It did quite the opposite.
“And who are you to call me ‘sweetheart’?” she snapped, looking angrier than she ever had in her life, except perhaps first time the Beast had been rude to her about dinner.
“Xaldin.” The man walked slowly down the stairs after Belle, arms clasped behind his back. “And your name, mademoiselle, is Belle, if I’m not mistaken. Charmed.”
Belle paused from her flight downwards, narrowing her eyes at the stranger. “Well I’m not. You have no right to be here, especially if you intend to harm the master of this castle.”
“Why stick up for him?” Xaldin asked, brushing aside Belle’s objections. “After all, he’s not exactly civil towards you.”
Biting her lip, Belle almost nodded before catching herself. “True, he hasn’t been the most...gracious of hosts. But he’s gotten better. He’s actually quite sweet if you get to know him.”
“Isn’t everybody?” Xaldin murmured, chuckling quietly. Stopping on the step just above Belle’s, he continued more loudly, “We just want him to cooperate, that is all. A beast like him would be quite useful.”
Belle’s nearly relaxed expression promptly became one of irritation. “You think that’s going to win me over? ‘A beast like him would be quite useful?’ I don’t care what you’re doing, but you’re not going to get help from me, and that’s final.” With a stamp of her foot to show that this conversation was over, Belle spun around and made to proceed down the rest of the stairs. Xaldin was quicker, catching her by the elbow and spinning her back towards him.
“It’s just one little task,” he told her smoothly. “You know, if I fail to achieve anything with you, I will move on to the beast himself. And I think I can be...a bit more creative in how I persuade him.”
Belle tugged her arm free, glaring. “Why can’t you understand that ‘no’ means ‘no’? And do you really think that I’m at all inclined to help a man who hides his face?”
Compliantly, Xaldin raised a hand and lowered the hood covering his face. “Better?” he prompted, grinning. Belle looked over him cautiously, as if he was trying to deceive her somehow. Her gaze stopped at his ears.
“Your ears....” she whispered, leaning forward and extending a hand to touch one of the pointed tips. Halfway there, she froze and snatched her hand back, shaking her head. “I’ve seen odder things than that.”
“But none of them more handsome than me, hm?” Xaldin commented jovially, smirking.
Belle rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you. Making jokes. You remind me of someone back in the village.” She fell silent, remembering everything that she had left behind when she had agreed to stay in this castle. It wasn’t actually that much, but it had been home.
“Do you miss it?” Xaldin inquired softly, moving closer and resting a hand on the brunette’s shoulder. “See your family and your friends? I could give you that, if you just do one little thing for me. You know you want to go back home.”
Impassively, Belle looked up at Xaldin, and they locked gazes. Finally, after what seemed like ages —
“No, not really,” Belle answered calmly, pushing away Xaldin’s arm and skipping down the last few steps. “Get out of this castle before I set the furniture on you.” Smiling, she curtsied and disappeared through a doorway off to the right of the foyer.
On the stairwell, Xaldin cursed women who thought for themselves and disappeared as well, though through a door of a slightly different kind.
~fin.
no subject
*snicker* Poor Xaldin, that really didn't go as planned, did it? Just you wait, mister, she'll get quite a bit more violent than that before the two of you part ways. XD
Love it! Very nice, as always. ^__^
no subject
xD Best part of that entire world, I swear, Belle elbowing Xaldin. Seriously. One of the best parts of the game, actually. I knew I liked Belle for some reason. Aha.
Thank you! ♥
no subject