Beast's first thought was to yell again, but he thought better of it. This strange man didn't seem scared by anything about Beast at all, much less his tantrums. He ignored the cup he was offered, turning toward the window then giving a deep sigh.

"You wouldn't," he cringed again, cutting the word off at the end. "You wouldn't understand." He head pointed toward the floor, but his eyes were closed tight. His tail and shoulders drooped; anything in his body language that would suggest Beast had confidence was gone.

Slowly, a wilted petal came free from the rose. Its trail of sparkles marked its lazy descent back and forth in the glass reliquary, where the outside air couldn't reach it.