Celine Potts

Celine knew the curse was still flowing through her veins, but perhaps something had changed. It wasn’t like she kept as social with her boys like she used too. And Celine was happy they were finding people and moving forward in their lives. It was a beautiful sight, but with it came hope that perhaps Belle was the one that was going to lift everything. This time though she was silly in the matter of using one of her favorite tea pots. Her hands trembled so badly trying to force herself it fell to the ground, shattering. There was really only one person she was positive would have the best solution to fixing it up maybe even better than new. “I trust you can do wonders with the pieces. It was a favorite of mine, I was.. just a bit too clumsy today I suppose. I trust you, Flik.” || @luckeyflik

Things had been a whirlwind recently. She just couldn’t get her brain to slow down, no matter how hard she tried. No matter how much training she did or how many lessons she gave. She felt herself growing distant, losing touch with those who mattered. And with her attention elsewhere, clearly, it was no wonder she found herself in such a predicament. With her eyes on her phone she barely recognized Celine as she knocked into her, eyes jumping from her phone to the chocolate. “Oh… Oh shit. Look, I’ll get you a new one that hasn’t been offered to the dust bunnies.” She smiled meekly, “things are great.” But her voice falls flat. “Here’s a better question. How are you?”

Celine was quick to shake her head. “If anything you could have been saving me from disappointment. I honestly don’t know how long that piece of candy has been camping out in my purse. Might not have been all that great, so hopefully the dusk bunnies enjoy a little treat.” The tone of her voice was all Celine needed to hear to nod her head softly. “Well, I have all the time in the world dear if you just need to vent it out and speak your thoughts.” Looking around with a small smile she hummed. “I”m doing pretty great as well. Now that the holiday rush is all over and I can breath again.” 

//closed starter @celinepotts​

“I think it’s time.” Blaise confessed while he strolled back and forth through Celine’s apartment. He had been thinking about it for quite some time, but he figured not to let anyone else know. For the longest time in his life, Lumiere had been playing. He was a mess and a slave to his own senses. However, as he has aged and kept his relationship with Meg, things have changed. All he wanted to achieve in life was a restaurant of his own, get a Michelin star, and someday have a family. With the curse still in place, the chances of getting a star were reduced. Nonetheless, he couldn’t do much about it at this point. Either he gives up now, or he dies trying. “If I can’t leave Adam’s restaurant, it’s time for me to re-negotiate the terms. I have a vision ahead of me, Celine. I know things are still difficult, with the gossip blog and all. But when will it stop? Do I have to postpone my plans because of an uncertain tomorrow?” He argued, though this time mostly to himself.

“I’m gonna ask Meg to move in with me.” Blaise stood to look at Celine, as if asking for her opinion. “I’m going to start building the life she deserves, the most normal one she could get.” And he knew it starts with building himself up. “I know Adam’s still mad at me, but I can’t keep living for myself. I want to have a family someday, and I want to marry Meg. It’s all impossible now, but a man’s got to try, right?” He asked, confiding everything to her. “Have I gone mad, Celine? Did you ever think a day would come and I’d be like this?” He chuckled, resting on the sofa as he let out a deep sigh.

Blaise had always been one to feel his emotions rather deeply. So for him to already be thinking about moving in with Meg this soon.. well, Celine couldn’t say she was surprised.  “I’m proud of you.” Was all she said at first. Taking a small sip of her wine as she gave him a loving smile. It’d been a long road, and a great deal of talks and .. everything in between in this very room. And for once Celine was starting to see a new chapter starting to be written for Blaise. With a deep breath she shook her head. “If you were anyone else I would be telling you not to rush a good thing. Savor in the new feelings you’ve created, learn everything you can. But, you’re Blaise. You’re emotions and feelings are like a fire, and they can hardly be tamed most of the time.” She admitted with a small laugh. “I always hoped this day would come, I just didn’t think it would be this sudden.” Celine hated the small ache in her that once could see their lives together raising Chip. Which that alone didn’t feel so far away either. “But, you’ve changed. Something about Meg just fits you like the perfect shoe and if you’re ready to make that change, and take the jump... I say go for it. Besides... something tells me whatever I say won’t matter that much anyways. You’re rather stubborn.” With a warm smile and a content sigh she smiled up at the ceiling letting out a soft breath. “Never thought I’d see the day my boys started to really grasp settling down.” 

Belle had been enjoying life as it offered her a time of happiness. Things weren’t perfect, as she searched for some sort of answer to the curse that haunted her friends, but it was a start. Even Adam seemed to be doing better and she was just happy to see him smiling more often. She did love his smile after all. One of her own appeared as soon as she heard Celine call her name, causing her to look in her direction as she came closer. “Says you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with even a single strand of hair out of place,” she said motioning to her friend in front of her. “I can’t say there isn’t more truth to that than you know. Do you know what he got me for Christmas? A puppy. Can you believe it? Adam, our Adam.”

“Oh, goodness dear, you should see me after one of Chip’s baseball games. Or just the whole time during. I’m worse then some boys at the pubs on a big sports day.” She admitted with a small laugh. “Thank you though.” As Belle gushed about Adam, Celine couldn’t help the way her heart swelled. It was so lovely to see her boys around her finally finding this sort of connection with others. Especially Adam who’d already put his heart through enough. “A puppy? Adam? Really?” She asked with a small laugh. “No wonder Chips been spending so much time away. I’m not sure what you’ve done, but you.. certainly have brought life back into Adam. Thank you..” 

With a sigh, Claude knew that arguing with her wasn’t going to get him very far, and that he should probably just give up on his attempts, but it was worth one last shot at denial. “You really don’t have to do any of that for me, you know. You have enough to do with getting gifts for Chip and all.” If Claude had someone like a son to use as a plot to get his friends gift ideas, he probably would, too, so he couldn’t entirely blame her. “I suppose I could use a new tie for the restaurant. The ones I have are getting reused far too often for my liking.”

All Celine needed to hear was the sigh to know she had won. Without trying to show it too much on her face she kept her gentle smile towards him and just nodded softly. “Oh, I started hiding and shopping for Chip in the summer. It gets so crazy around this time of the year and it just knocks one last thing off my list of people.” Celine was rather proud that she started the crazy shopping so far in advanced so she could enjoy all the little things with Chip. “A new tie... got it.” A few other ideas filled her head but she gave him a bigger smile. “See it wasn’t that hard. I’ll pass the news to my little Santa helper. Now, how have you been?” 

With a roll of his eyes, he looked at her pointedly, knowing exactly what she was doing. “Don’t tell me that you’re using your son in your elaborate Christmas gift plot,” he teased, narrowing his eyes. “I’m not eyeing anything, Celine. Commercialism and Christmas disgust me, you know that.” Not that he was super religious, but the excuse for people to get drunk and dress like Santa was more annoying than anything. “All I want is to spend some time with you, my family, and to see Chip’s face when he opens my superior gift.”

With an innocent shrug of her shoulders she gave him a small smile. “I wouldn’t use Chip that way. You know he loves to give gifts as much as I do. It just helps that he does so I can ask questions like this.” Laughing softly she shook her head. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” Though his next string of words made her smile. “That is a rather lovely gift every year to have that time with each other. Superior gift huh? You guys and trying to take the winner spot for the best gifts.” She mumbled with a playful roll of her eyes. “Can I at least get a few ideas of things?” 

//closed starter @celinepotts​

“So….” Blaise removed his feet from her counter table and placed his elbows on his lap. He had been scrolling through Instagram for almost two hours, looking at the comments coming from Drizella’s followers. His own account popped, and soon enough he had enough followers to fill a gymnasium. It was crazy and terrifying, to say the least. However, he had to admit that the attention he was getting was quite a thrill. “Celine, do you think I should make videos while cooking?” He chuckled, showing her a video of an Italian man making pasta. “You know, I think I can do that better. I can probably be shirtless and just wear an apron.” He erupted in laughter, thinking that it was a foolish idea. “If Adam decides to fire me, you know what my next career move is now.” Blaise shook his head, leaning back on the couch as he continued to scroll on his phone.

Celine was at peace just having him on the other end of the couch while she did some online Christmas shopping. Perks of having a best friend around as long as Blaise silence was comfortable most of the times. It wasn’t till he started talking did she look up from her phone. “I think that would be wonderful! A little social media marketing for the restaurant.” With a little laugh she shook her hair. “Honestly, that would work out very nicely as well. I’m sure you’ll gain a good following with just the apron on.” Her laugh feel in with his as she thought about it. “I’m serious though! Those are really great ideas, Blaise” Celine’s laughter died down a little as her eye brow rose looking at him. “Why would Adam fire you?” The curse was rather.. limiting but Adam hasn’t held that against any of them, and certainly wouldn’t use it as a reason to fire Blaise. 

It wasn’t really like him to just approach strangers, but Wybie didn’t see much of any other choice. The cafe was crowded today, everyone taking refuge from the cold snap that had blown into this side of town, and almost all of the seats were taken. The stranger had seemed a little lost in thought, if not a bit mopey, and he especially didn’t want to bother her, looking like that. But, she was one of the very few without someone sitting across from her, and he took the chance to ask if he could sit with her at the table while he waited for his drink to get called. She hadn’t heard him. Of course. He tried not to let the embarrassment take charge and make him turn around and just leave; he took a breath. “ I’m sorry to bug you - ” He really, really was. “ It’s - Yeah. That was my question. ” God, he felt so stupid. But she’d called him dear, and that made something settle in his stomach, like maybe she was okay with him hanging with her for a moment. So, taking a seat in his big puffer jacket, he kept his body turned away from her, to give her space and not make her uncomfortable any more than he had convinced himself he already had. But he just had to open his mouth again. “ Penny for your thoughts ? ” He even offered a side glance her way, striking up casual conversation, hoping to erase the moment before.

Celine didn’t mind having him sit there. It was far too busy in here, and it wasn’t like she was waiting for anyone. Her eyes kept out the window for a small moment collecting herself and tucking her emotions back in their little box. As he spoke she offered a warm smile. Letting the eat from her cup expand through her and relax a little more. “Oh, I don’t wish to bore you with some holiday heartbreak. Though I have been thinking about what colors I should go with for my Christmas tree this year. I want to do something fun and new. My son says we should do yellow, and I’m.. still very on the fence about that” She admitted with a small laugh. Though she did love the creativity Chip could come up with from time to time. “And what about yourself?” 

Ophelia was working on her relationship with Celine. Things were better, but not as they were, and a large part of that was on Fifi. She had felt so betrayed and even after patching things up it was just…a little hard to be around her sometimes. Having a new job didn’t really help that distance either. Still, she wasn’t going to ignore Celine if she called. She needed to surround herself with her friends again and this was a good place to start. She had been listening to Celine talk about her old job and Fifi couldn’t help but miss it a little. “I’m sure whatever you all decide on that Adam will deal with it. He sort of owes you that much. I hope he is being kind to you all.”

Celine nodded softly. “Adam tends to have a soft spot here and there, and well he’s never shown me anything other then kindness. I’m sure I could get away with fake snow in some of the hallways if I really pitched the idea the right way.” Teasing. Celine was only teasing on that matter cause she was certain more then just Adam would complain about it. Though, she held that thought for a rainy day. “I honestly haven’t seen anyone as much as I’d like recently. Holidays, a boy, a break up, a son. How have you been though?” 

who: @celinepotts​ where: pixie hollow park

Ella was on a walk to clear her mind when she started to get lost in her own head. All she’d been able to think about was the secret that was dividing her from some and bringing her closer to others. Her heart had been nothing but heavy since. Seeing someone sitting at a bench with a warm beverage between their palms caught her attention. “Pardon me, do you happen to know where the nearest coffee shop is? I must admit, yours made me have the craving for one myself.”

Celine loved this time of year. The lights, the decor, the overall lightness of the air. Walks in the morning with a cup of coffee came with the best views, and that was her routine after dropping Chip off. A sweet voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Ella!” She let out with a warm smile. “Of course, I just left so it’s not to far from here. Come on, you need something warm in you with this chill.” Celine didn’t bother to wait for her to say much of anything else before pulling her along. “Have you had a moment to try any of the holiday drinks, dear?”