Re: lakeside mansion; hugh c. & dietre a.
“No, you’re certainly not.” Hugh was better to Dietre than other people. He never argued with him over how he behaved, or blamed him, or laughed at his awkwardness. Dietre’s other friends were kind people, it wasn’t that they were less, only, it seemed that Hugh took the time to understand him more than the others had. Dietre had once thought that Liam understood him, or maybe he hadn’t understood Liam, either way, their friendship had gone up in flames, leaving Dietre feeling so flawed that his very being was enough to push a man teetering on the edge right over.
If it weren’t for the wine and romantic movies, Dietre might have rejected Hugh’ascertation that he was a gift outright. But it was said with such quiet sincerity that it was impossible to dismiss it as empty flattery. “Oh.” Flustered, he found he could not speak. “W-well.”
The ending of the movie saved him with it's dramatics. A fierce storm, a rooftop battle… Dietre could be excused for his silence while it played out. His attention was only half on it, though, the thoughts and feelings tumbling around inside him were too distracting. As Belle cried over the presumed to be dead Beast, Dietre squeezed Hugh’s hand. ...Let him think it was because of the movie and no other reason. It would be better that way.