Rec: Creature and the Fool by clingylefou

Title: Creature and the Fool

Author: clingylefou

Canon: Beauty and the Beast

Pairing: Gaston/Lefou

Rating: Teen [PG]

Word Count: 18,543

Summary: This is the tale how of a man, too vain to know kindness, was turned into a hideous beast, doomed to waste away until he is rescued by a lover to show him and guide him into a better character. Undoubtedly, this all sounds a bit familiar, and that’s because it is. When the Enchantress lifted the curse on the Beast, turning him back into a prince, the castle resumed its original position, the teacups and the clocks turned human, everything returned to how it should be- except for one thing. The lifting spell rebounded upon hitting the ugliness of a man underneath the rubble, and in a side effect of saving his life, turned him into a grotesque creature. It is an obvious story, for it has happened before. We all know the ending. But the ending isn’t important. When someone jumps to their death, the landing isn’t what is important. Landing is inevitable and uninteresting. It’s the falling we all care about. In Gaston’s case, it’s falling in love, truly falling, for the first time.

Recommendation: Quite a lot of this story was very dreamlike. LeFou seems half in a fugue state until the big reveal which isn't a surprise but still feels like such a relief. I loved that LeFou had been getting more in touch with himself after losing Gaston, but the confrontation was necessary for real healing.

Link to the Story on AO3

Recommendation #2,009