(tw internalized homophobia)
Lumière de Châlère, French, 36 years old. Works as a majordomo. He's super popular with the ladies he's the rizz man. No steady relationships, mostly just into romantic flings.
Henry Cogsworth, British, 40 years old. Works as Prince Adam's butler. He's got a wife, Gertrude the they've been together for 16 years. Their relationship is really tense, and Henry's been dreaming of divorce more than once. There was never any love between them.
Cogsworth and Lumiere's relationship was complicated from the moment Lumiere started working at the castle. As soon as he showed up, he was surrounded by attention and praise which really annoyed Henry. Especially because Henry had always been devoted to his job, trying to follow every order precisely and carefully, unlike Lumiere, who kept slacking off and dodging his duties just to have fun.
Over time, their tense relationship turned into friendship, thanks to Lumiere lol — who from the very beginning paid a lot of attention to Cogsworth and tried to get closer to him everytime. Their feelings were obvious to both of them, and it happened kind of spontaneously.
For Henry, getting close to Lumiere was a turning point. He realized there was someone who made him feel truly alive and loved not like with his wife. Meanwhile, de Chalere started having doubts. He cared too much about what people would think, and he was scared of their relationship getting exposed. Plus, he wasn't ready to admit to himself that he was into a man.
They started sleeping together and going on dates, but both pretended it was just a game, nothing serious. Lumiere even kept flirting with the girls around the castle. Over time, Henry started getting more anxious, wanting some kind of confirmation of their feelings — but Lumiere kept saying that they're "really close friends".
Okay!!! Guys, this plot was the first thing that came to my mind, and someone might argue with me and say that internalized homophobia would've fit Cogsworth more ...but I just wanted it this way, I don't have an explanation! These headcanons are still a work in progress, I might change some things later.
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