May Day Menergerie for nropay! It's also a remix to my Mer!Rumple series based off foxmurphey's artwork. It's not nearly as long as I wanted it to be but I did my best to accommodate all you asked for. I hope you like it and Happy May Day!
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"Come on Papa!" the little merman called out to his father who immediately held a finger up to his lips.
"Quiet Bae," the older merman warned gently, glancing around the empty clump of beach. Looks were deceiving however, as he had learned the day he first met Belle.
He and Bae had first met Belle one day when she had stumbled onto the beach. It was a bit odd to see a human in this section of the beach. No one ever came to the small cove the mermen had called their home for a little over a year now. It was too far from the loud docks and eateries the humans thrived on, and the waves were too low to satisfy the ones who brought their giant boards.
Rumple, despite both his and his son's curiosity, had made them move on, and considered leaving the town once and for all. The day Belle had fallen off a boat and nearly drown had been the point that everything in their quiet, inactive lives changed. Upon taking her back to the cove to recover, Belle had taken to their existence surprisingly well. Rumple had been weary at first, having had a bad experience with a human in the past and not knowing if Belle was trustworthy. He had to protect his son after all.
But Belle had proved herself an unofficial mermaid in no time, and soon she was a permanent part of their lives. She went on adventures with them, helped them nurse the injured birds and sealife back to health, and brought them treats during each visit.
"There she is!" Bae said excitedly, gliding to where Belle was setting up on the beach. She heard Bae and her face nearly split in two.
Rumple felt the familiar flutter in his chest at the sight. His son must have sensed it, as he glanced back and gave his father an all-knowing smirk.
"You like her, don't you papa?" Bae had asked him one night as they watched the waves descend.
"Of course," Rumple answered safely. "She's much different than other humans."
"No," Bae scoffed. "Really like her."
Rumple knew what his son meant and knew that he did indeed feel something for Belle. How could he not? She was so caring, so intelligent, and just saying her name filled him with a deep-seated adoration for her.
But soon, reality would sink in, and he was reminded that he, a merman, could never be with her.
However, he refused to think about it and instead focused on the present, and in the present Bae was gliding into Belle's lap, so comfortable in her arms, as he searched eagerly through her bag for today's treat.
"Bae, manners," Rumple reminded his son as he glided to Belle's side.
"It's fine Rumple," Belle chuckled as she ruffled Bae's waves of curls which were starting to grow over his eyes.
Bae was in his fifth year now, and still had the innocence and wonder of a young one. Unlike his father, he didn't have a blemish on him, a reminder that the world had been good to him. The fin of his seaweed-green tail was still intact, and would hopefully remain that way for the rest of his days.
Bae gasped in delight when he found Belle's treat.
"Gummy worms!" he exclaimed, ripping the package open with his sharp teeth. He had been weary to eat the sugary insects the first time Belle had brought them to the mermen. Worms were a last-result meal for merfolk, and were often dangerously pilfered off the hooks of fishers. Once Belle told them that these kinds of worms didn't crawl back up, they instantly rivaled with pudding as their favorite snack.
Belle managed to fish out a few before Bae dug in and offered one to Rumple. His fingers graced against her palm as he took it and they gave each other a shy smile.
"Belle?"
Belle nearly chocked on her candy and frantically looked around for the source of her name. By the time she turned back around, Rumple and Bae were already swimming safely to the cluster of rocks just off the cove, just close enough that they could hear the greetings of the new humans.
"Papa…" Bae's tiny voice squeaked.
"It's okay son," Rumple whispered as he and Bae ducked behind the rocks. Belle didn't betray them, he told himself repeatedly. She couldn't have. Someone must have seen her. That by itself was a problem, but they'd get to that later.
"Stay down," he told him gently, peaking out from behind the rocks to see three humans carefully making their way down the sand dune.
One was an obvious male and was carrying a load of supplies. The other human was wearing a flowing skirt, but their hair was short and black, something Rumple wasn't used to seeing on a human female. The last human was small, about Bae's size, and had long blond hair that bounced as she ran into Belle's arms.
Belle glanced to the rocks as she picked the child in her arms, giving Rumple an apologetic half-smile before turning back to the humans.
"Mary Margaret, how did you know I was here?" Belle inquired to the dark-haired human as the blond one squirmed from her arms. Mary Margaret and David were visiting Storybrooke for Emma's summer vacation. Belle was supposed to be entertaining them, but when they had announced that they were going to go see the sites she took the opportunity to visit Rumple and Bae.
"Your car was around the corner, we thought we'd come see what you were up to." she explained as she took a few of the blankets from her husband's arms and spread them over the sand. "Oh it's beautiful out here, and so quiet. I see now why you keep sneaking away—Emma, sweetie, don't go out too far!"
The little blonde glanced back at her mother before skipping through the low waves.
Mary Margaret sighed as her husband finally dropped their things. "Kids." She chuckled.
Belle nodded absently, annoyed that her friend would just show up but more worried about Emma as she got closer to the rocks. The tide was too low. If Rumple and Bae swam away now, they'd be seen, and she knew from years as Mary Margaret's friend that she couldn't keep a secret to save her life.
Rumple kept a hand on Bae's shoulder as the little splashed further into he water.
The merman looked over to assure his son that everything would be alright but found the boy staring at the little girl with wide-eyed wonder.
"Papa, what is that?" Bae whispered.
Rumple followed his line of site to the human child as she splashed further into the water.
"A human, Bae." He answered quietly. "Just like Belle."
"But…she's so small." Bae said.
Rumple looked the small human over. "She's about your age."
"Wow." Bae said, his voice rising slight from the awe.
Rumple and shushed him, glancing up to find in horror that the little human was staring directly at them. Behind her was Belle, wide-eyed and pale. The child's parents were too busy setting up their things to take notice of the wonderous event happening between their daughter and the creatures of legend.
Emma however didn't seem afraid. She didn't try to alert her parents of them. She simply raised her small hand and waved at them.
Rumple stayed completely still. Even if she was just a child, new humans were still untrustworthy. And loud.
"Bae, let's move." Rumple whispered so quietly he wasn't sure if the words had come out at all. He looked down at his son to motion him away, but found Bae crawling closer to the human. Rumple glanced frantically back at Belle.
Belle calmly waddled out to the rocks where Emma was, turning a reassuring smile to the parents.
"Hey," Belle greeted when she climbed onto one of the rocks.
"Look Aunt Belle!" Emma shrilled. "Fish people!"
Belle shushed her, glancing back long enough to make sure David and Mary Margaret were occupied.
"Yes sweetie," Belle nodded, softening her voice for the five-year-old. "Their called mermen."
"Hi mermen!" Emma greeted so loudly Belle's heart nearly stopped.
"H-hi." Bae greeted, more awestruck that fearful. His pale cheeks turned a tinted pink when Emma giggled.
"Their friends of mine. But there also my secret."
Emma turned away from the petrified mermen long enough to give her god-aunt a pointed look. "Mama says it's not right to keep secrets."
"You're mom would say that," Belle sighed, rolling her eyes before she got explained the situation in a way a five-year old would.
"Sweetie, do you remember when I went on that fieldtrip with you to the aquarium?"
Emma nodded, her eyes fixed on Bae.
"And you remember that whale we saw in one of the tanks and how sad you said he looked?"
Emma looked at her aunt, wisdom filling her big green eyes.
"The whale was sad because the scientists to put him in the tank took him from his home. If someone finds out about Rumple and Bae…that could happen too." Belle said, her eyes meeting Rumple's worried one's.
Emma turned back to the mermen, her eyes searching them.
"Which one of you is Bae?"
Bae raised his small webbed hand.
"Good," Emma said, crossing her legs on the rock. "We're going to be friends."
"W-we are?" Bae squeaked.
"Mmm-hmm," Emma nodded. "Best friends."
Rumple and Belle exchanged surprised looks at the little girl's gumption. Belle had to hold back a smirk.
"Belle, Emma?" Mary Margaret's voice echoed to the rocks.
Belle stiffened, remembering the situation at hand.
"So you promise…to keep your new friend safe?" Belle asked.
"Yeah," Emma agreed with a toothy smile.
Rumple sagged against the rocks in relief. Another day, another disaster averted.
Bae smiled in return, intrigued by this smaller human.
"We better go," Belle said, noticing when both Bae and Emma's faces fell.
"Agreed," Rumple nodded. "Thank you, Belle."
Belle smiled before picking up her god-niece and waddled back to shore.
"Mama I a new friend!" Emma exclaimed, causing Belle to wince. So much for keeping secrets.
"That's nice sweetie. Come here so I can put more sunscreen on you. You're turning brown already."
"Aw mama!" Emma whined as her mother smeared the thick paste on her shoulders.
Belle chuckled and looked back at the rocks. She could see the torn fin of Rumple's golden tail peak out from the water as he and Bae swam away. She sighed, exhausted but optimistic for the future.
If she brought Emma out here more often, she and Bae could make friends while her and Rumple spent a bit more adult-time with each other.
She really didn't see the harm in that.