A/N: This is actually a RP written between me and ChippedRose. I play Gold and she plays Belle. The other characters are written based off who is interacting with them. Enjoy!

Cold and snowy. Always cold and snowy. Mr. Gold grumbled to himself as he walked through the town toward his shop early that Christmas Eve morning. He didn't mind the cold, but he hated the snow. It always made his injured ankle ache more than usual, making it hard to walk even with his cane.
But as much as he hated snow, there was one thing he hated more: Christmas. Everyone was always so cheery and bright. People expected him to donate his hard earned money to the poor. Others wasted their mortgage money on useless frivolities and would come to him later for an extension; something he never gave.
Walking along the sidewalk, he concentrated on the sound of snow crunching below his feet so he didn't have to listen to the townspeople prattle on and on about such a nonsensical holiday.
Stepping up to his shop door, he reached up and turned the doorknob, finding it was already unlocked. He wasn't alarmed, however, because when he stepped inside he saw his only employee, David Nolan, was already there at his desk, hard at work

When David heard the bell of the front door ring, his gaze raised up to see who had entered the shop. When he saw his boss, a cheerful, polite smile stretched across his lips. "Merry almost Christmas, Mr. Gold."

Taking the liberty of wanting to make the shop seem more festive and welcoming, David had decided to put a few lengths of garland along the edges of the glass showcases and counters that lined the entrance to brighten the shop up a bit.
Mr. Nolan had a few things on his mind and a rather important question to ask Gold, but he decided to wait to see if the older man would be in a good mood or not. He hoped that his boss would let him leave an hour or so early so that he could be with his wife on this special day.

Mr. Gold frowned when he heard David and it only deepened when he saw the garland decorating the cabinets. "Bah," he snapped. He lifted his cane up to point at the garland. "What the hell is all this?" It was clear he wasn't happy about it.

David was taken back when he heard the older man. His smile faltered a little but remained on his face as he moved to go stand closer to Gold. "Just a few decorations I put up to make the place look less dreary on Christmas Eve. Out of all the days in the year, how can someone NOT be happy on a day like today? I mean, it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL outside!"

"You of all people should know my feelings on Christmas," Mr. Gold growled and started to make his way toward the back of the shop. David had worked for him for years and still he tried to pull things like this. "Now unless you're looking to get a pink slip this holiday, rid my shop of this ridiculous adornment."

David's smile finally fell off his lips when he heard the man's threat. With a sigh, the younger man began to take down the decorations. As he saw him retreating towards the backroom, David knew he would be holed up in there for hours. Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "Probably not the greatest time to ask, but would it be possible for me to get off work a few hours early so I can spend the night with my wife? Or even just come into work tomorrow an hour or two late?" He knew asking for the day off tomorrow would be asking for FAR too much.

Mr. Gold paused in the doorway, and turned halfway around. "Why on earth would you want that?" he asked genuinely confused along with agitated. It was as if he didn't realize it was Christmas Eve…and he didn't, because he really didn't care.

David sighed a little and shrugged. "Because not only is tonight our date night, but it is also Christmas Eve." The man always tried to spend every Friday night with his wife because of how busy he always was. Not that he expected Gold to understand, but he hoped he would take it easy on him.

Christmas Eve…ah yes…Mr. Gold recalled David mumbling something about it when he walked in. Of course it was Christmas Eve and just like every one else, David wanted something from him as well. He expected him to be lenient all because of some silly day.
He was about to reply when the little bell above the door rang, signifying someone had just walked in the shop. Mr. Gold looked up to see an elderly man walk in looking nervous.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Mr. Gold demanded. He was never very friendly to the customers.

When he saw a customer, David sighed and headed back to the little desk he worked at.

The older man, Marco, who had just walked in, took off his hat as he heard Golf snap at him. Swallowing hard, he began to wring his hat nervously. "W-Well.. You see, I was wondering if maybe… I could… Could.." He tried to find the courage within him to ask his question. "Could I have an extension on my mortgage? I donated most of my profits from my business to the nuns who are buying toys for the orphans in town."

Mr. Gold rolled his eyes. "And I suppose it didn't occur to you the money you were donating was meant to pay you mortgage?" he asked in a sweetly sarcastic manner.

Marco swallowed hard and shuddered from Gold's tone. "I thought I had enough, but I accidentally put an extra hundred into my donation. Please, I promise to pay it to you in full WITH interest when the beginning of the New Year rolls around."

Mr. Gold chuckled lightly. He shifted so his cane was in front of him and both his hands were placed a top it. "Mr. Booth, I wonder if you know what happens if I were to make an exception for every tenant who came in here with a story like yours begging for an extension?"

Marco let out a ragged breath and looked up at the man. "I know, I know and I am sorry but I NEED this extension. Don't you have a heart? It's Christmas for Christ's sake!"

"Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! Is that the only excuse anyone can ever come up with? Well Bah Humbug to Christmas! You need this extension? Well I need my money! Have it here first thing tomorrow or expect to find yourself out on the streets!" Mr. Gold slammed his cane against the wall to emphasize his point, causing both Marco and David to jump.

Marco swallowed hard again, his breath hitching before he nodded and promptly left the shop.

David sighed and went back to work. "You know you just lost yourself fifty to a hundred dollars. The last time Marco paid with interest, he gave you seventy-five dollars."

Mr. Gold turned his glaring gaze toward David, ignoring everything he just said. He was not going to give in. "You! Be quiet and get back to work!" With that he stormed in the back room, intentionally not letting their previous conversation resurface.

David shook his head and flinched a bit as Gold stormed past him. With a slight huff he went back to his work and began to write in his accounting books for the next while.

When Belle had woken up, she had made Mr. Gold a nice breakfast only to find out after that he had already left for work. After eating the meal she prepared, she did a few of her chores before putting on her jacket and boots to bring Gold SOMETHING to eat, knowing he wouldn't feed himself. Once she grabbed about $8 from his extra coin bowl, she went to Granny's, got him a tea and a blueberry muffin before going to his shop.

People on the streets watched Belle as they did Mr. Gold, but they didn't despise her like they did him. Instead, they felt pity for the poor girl who had been forced into becoming his maid because of her father's debts. Still, they seemed to like Belle and many of them wished her Merry Christmas as she went by.

Belle gave the people small smiles as she walked past them, nodding her head curtly as she wished them a Merry Christmas back. When she arrived at her employer's shop, she took a deep breath and made sure she looked okay before going in.

As her eyes landed on one of her only friends, David, she sent him a smile. "Merry Christmas, David."

David looked up when he saw Belle enter the shop. He smiled big and stood. Walking over to her he reached out and gave her hug. "Belle, good morning and Merry Christmas."

The girl hugged him back before she placed the tea and muffin down on the counter. "I didn't realize you were working today. If I would have known, I would have brought you a muffin too." She said softly, a small smile still on her lips. "Is Gold in the back?"

"Oh it's no problem, don't worry about it," he replied, referring to the muffin. "Mary Margaret packed me a lunch." He pointed to the small brown bag by his desk, but didn't comment on the lack of contents. With his salary, they could barely afford food.
"He's in the back as usual," he said answering her second question. "He's in a horrible mood too-worse than normal."

Belle sighed softly and nodded her head understandably. "Isn't he always…" The girl brushed a curl behind her ear and glanced over at the door that led into the backroom. Was seeing him really worth probably getting her head ripped off? "Do you think he would appreciate some afternoon tea and a muffin? He left before I could give him his breakfast…."

David shrugged his shoulders. "You know as well as I do, but if anyone can brighten his spirits it's you." He gave Belle a knowing smile.

Belle blushed a little and rolled her eyes, biting her lip. She had assumed that he had figured out about her little infatuation with Adam, but part of her wished he didn't. She still wasn't quite sure what her feelings for the man were. But part of her knew she would have to come clean sooner or later. How, she had no idea.

"You look nice today," he said, noting her appearance. "Big holiday plans?" David wasn't sure if Mr. Gold even allowed Belle to take a day off for herself, even for Christmas, but the girl lived in his mansion. The least he could do was give her a break and let her visit her family. Then again, David worked in the shop and he couldn't even get Gold to agree to let him have a few hours off, much less a whole day.

Belle bit her bottom lip and shrugged a little. "Maybe… But I probably won't end up doing them…" She had been planning on confessing her feelings to him on Christmas Eve for about a month or two. "And as for me looking nice, It is because Ada… I mean Mr. Gold bought me a new jacket."

David's eyes widened in shock. "He actually bought you a jacket?! I had no idea the man was capable of spending money."

Belle couldn't help but chuckle just a little and give him a small smile. "He kind of had to. I don't have money and I needed a new coat. He didn't want me to freeze to death when I went shopping for him or something. I am not getting out of our… 'Agreement' that easily."

Mr. Gold was sitting behind his desk in the back room as usual, counting his money. Despite the fact that it was almost as cold in the shop as it was outside, he had removed his thick wool coat. The cold itself didn't bother him, so he refused to pay to heat the place.
When he heard the bell at the front door and voices coming from the front room, he assumed he had another customer who David would send back any moment. But after several minutes, when whoever it was never walked back there, he decided to investigate.
Grabbing his cane, he stood and walked to the front room.
"…you're welcome to join my family for Christmas dinner tomorrow," he heard David say to the customer before he quietly moved the curtain aside that separated the rooms.
Mr. Gold couldn't see who was in his shop because David had his back to him and was standing in front of whoever it was. He stood there a moment, not immediately alerting them to his presence.

Belle smiled weakly when she heard David, gaze dropping a little. How she would love to join him and his family for dinner. Unfortunately, she knew that there were many things in her way that were preventing her from doing so. One, she knew David didn't get paid much and she didn't want to end up eating some of what could be their leftovers and dinner for the next few days. Also, there was no doubt that Adam would make her clean or shovel the snow from his front yard the next day. He didn't like Christmas and he definitely wouldn't let her celebrate it. He didn't last year or the year before. She was basically his property and he dictated her life. "I would love to, but I really don't want to intrude.." Her soft, slightly worried voice filled the room. "Besides, there is supposed to be a rather large snow storm tonight. We might get snowed in. That means I will probably be shoveling all day tomorrow."

"That doesn't sound like a way you should be spending Christmas. Perhaps I could convince him to join us as well so you could come," David said optimistically. "All we have to do is ask him."
"Ask me what?" Mr. Gold piped up letting him know he was standing there listening.

Belle sighed a little as she listened to David, muttering a quiet 'Good luck' until she heard Adam's voice fill the room, making her jump. As she stepped to the side a little to see him, she couldn't deny the small flutter in her heart.

"A-Ask you… Ask you if… Uh…" The girl swallowed hard and looked up at David with slightly desperate eyes. Was it the right time to ask? Had he already heard what they had been saying? How long had he been standing there?

Mr. Gold had heard their conversation, but he didn't let on that he had. When his eyes met Belle's, the corner of his lip twitched upward just slightly, but instantly returned to its usual grimace.
His gaze fell away from Belle and landed on David. He didn't give him any time to ask what he already knew they were discussing. "Mr. Nolan I believe I'm paying you to work, not fraternize with my help," he said sternly.

Belle knew Adam didn't know, but she had seen the small twitch of his lips when his eyes settled on her. He wasn't always as cruel as people thought. Even when she spoke poorly about him and how unfair and horrible he was, it was only because she knew he had an image to keep a hold of. He wasn't VERY different when they were at his home, but they sometimes acted more like friends rather that Master and Maid.

David gave him a look that resembled one of slight impatience. David was happily committed to his wife and Belle was just a long time friend of his that he kept his eyes on to make sure she was safe and happy. Turning back to Belle, he gave her a slightly sad smile. "Think about it," he told her, talking about more than one thing. He still didn't understand how the young woman had developed feelings for someone like that man. With a sigh, he returned back to his desk.
Nodding her head, she picked up the cup of tea and the muffin before walking over to Adam and holding it out towards him. "You didn't have breakfast this morning…"

He glanced down at the cup, before looking back up at Belle with a frown. "I had things I needed to take care of…they couldn't wait." Instead of reaching out to take the offered items, he turned and walked to the back, sitting down at his desk.

Belle huffed a little when he silently denied what she offered and walked away. Being the stubborn person that she was, she followed him and placed the items on his desk in an empty spot, which was rather hard to do on his cluttered desk. "Well you need to eat. The last thing you, and anybody else dealing with you, needs is for your blood sugar to drop." Not only did he get even more grumpy and easy to annoy, but he usually got woozy and a little weak. She had seen this a few times before and forced him to let her help him walk to his room or to the nearest couch when his bad leg stopped supporting him. But unlike her, other people would probably just let him fall and wallow in him being on the ground.

Gold glanced over at the tea and muffin one more time. "Did you at least make it yourself?" he asked. He couldn't deny how much he loved her tea. She somehow had managed to make it perfect every time, knowing exactly what he liked.

Belle's heart stopped for a second as she heard him. "Um… Not exactly… I found out that we were out of tea so I took some of the change out of that little bowl you told me I could take from if I absolutely needed to for groceries or something… But I told the woman at Granny's how to make it so that it wasn't too strong or sweet like they normally make it. As for the muffin, we both know that thing would be black if I made it." She hoped and prayed to whatever god was above them, that he wouldn't be upset that she used some of the change. "It turned out I didn't even use it all.." She took all the change that was in her pocket and placed it in a neat pile by his tea and muffin, being careful to not get it lost in his other piles on his desk.

He stared at her long and hard, unblinking. "You went to Granny's and purchased it?" He huffed, his voice rising. It was not hard to see he was angry about his money being spent there. "You know how I feel about that place! It barely passes for a restaurant. The food is garbage and everything is overpriced! Return it now, I want my money back!"

Belle felt as if he had just slapped her. Taking a deep breath to stay calm, the girl looked over at him with a blank expression. "You really think I would pay over four dollars for something like that? There was a special for a cup of tea and a muffin. It was three dollars altogether." She grabbed the cup and muffin, glaring at him slightly as she turned on her heels and stormed out. So much for being nice to him. She wanted to spite him and throw it all on the ground just so she couldn't return it. But fortunately, she knew better. She had learned her place a long time ago.

Before Belle could leave the shop, the bell on the front door rang again, signifying someone else had just entered. David glanced up to see a young man in his twenties with dark brown hair and a light beard. "Bae!" He exclaimed happily. "Merry Christmas!"
Bae smiled back at David. "Merry Christmas to you too. Is my father in?"
David nodded, "In the back. Belle's here too."

Belle was just walking out of the backroom with a hurt, bitter look on her face, when she heard David say her name. She was too deep in her thoughts, with her gaze on the damned muffin and now cold tea in her hand, to even realize she was about to collide with Bae.

"Whoa, there," Bae said as he grabbed either side of Belle's arms to stop her from running into him. He couldn't quite see her face because she was looking down, so he didn't notice that she was upset.
He smiled big, waiting for her to realize who he was.

Belle tensed as she felt someone grab her arms. She blinked a few times to come back to reality. Looking up, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. The face was familiar. The scruffiness of his beard, his slightly messy hair. "Bae.." She cleared her throat a little and stepping back a little. "I-I'm sorry.. I should have been paying attention to where I was going.." As usual, his smile was contagious and caused Belle to smile a little despite her mood that still showed as clear as day in her eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Belle," he replied, brushing it off. He was about to ask how she was and wish her a Merry Christmas when he noticed the look in her eyes. His smile faltered a little. "Is everything alright?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

Belles own smile faltered when she heard his question. Was it THAT obvious that something was upsetting her? "Just tried to be nice to your father and look out for him because he didn't eat breakfast to only to have it backfire severely… Nothing out of the ordinary.." She said with a sigh. "But nothing you need to worry yourself about."

Bae frowned looking between her and the back room. His frown didn't last long, however. "Oh Belle," he said with a big smile on his face again, "You shouldn't let him get to you. We both know his bark is worse than his bite." He playfully nudged the bottom of her chin. "Now cheer up, it's Christmas! You should be happy."

When he nudged the bottom of her chin, subtly making her lift it so she wouldn't be so slouched and upset, she couldn't help but smile again. "I'll try. But for now, I have to go back to Granny's and beg for them to give me back the money I gave them for this. I will probably have to clean the floor or a few tables but it will be worth it to make your father not mad at me."

"What?" Bae said, astonished as he glanced down at the tea and muffin in her hand. "No you're not! That's ridiculous. You keep those and don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." He began walking toward the back room. He had dealt with his father all his life and he knew how to handle him.

As Belle watched Bae walk to the back room, she knew better than to try and stop him. He would never listen anyways; he was almost as stubborn as his father. Turning to David, she placed the two things on his desk. "You need this more than I do. I suggest you eat it quickly though," she told him before she turned and promptly left, needing to get back to her chores.

David took the muffin and tea without question, able to deduce what would happen if he didn't listen. Despite that the food was cold now, it was still delicious.
Mr. Gold glanced up from his work when he heard someone enter the room. "Bae," he said softly, glad to see his son. "What brings you in today?" He sure hoped he wasn't there to ask for money. He had expected it ever since Bae's recent marriage.

Bae crossed his arms over his chest as he walked into the back of his dad's shop. "Well I had originally come in here to invite you and Belle to dinner tomorrow night but now I am here to yell at you for being such a cheapskate. Belle brought you a muffin and tea but because of how cheap you are, I just had to save her from begging Granny to give her back your damn money."

Gold looked at him angrily, focusing on what was not important. "So you're telling me Belle's not going to get my money back?"

Bae huffed and pulled a five-dollar bill out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "There, Happy? Now lets focus on what really matters. You make that poor girl work twenty-four seven. When was the last time you let her have a day to herself to go see her father or go to the library or just to relax and rest her aching feet because you MUST see how she limps when she walks near the end of the day? And do you ever even thank her?" Adam's son ranted to him, hating how his father mistreated people.

Adam remained calm, unphased by his son's reaction. They bickered a lot, so it was nothing new to him.
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his lap. "She knew what was in store for her when she made a deal with me. I didn't hide anything, or pretend she would have this easy carefree life. I laid everything out on the table and she agreed."

"Whether she signed up for this or not, she is the last person in this world that deserves your hostility." He sighed and shook his head. "Just think about all the things she does extra that you don't ask her to but she does it for you anyways." He sighed softly and took a deep breath to calm down before he made his smile return. "Anyways, the offer still stands for you and Belle to join Emma and I in our new home for dinner tomorrow night."

Adam sighed heavily, trying to ignore the point his son brought up about Belle. He didn't want to think about how good Belle was to him; it made it seem like he shouldn't force her to be his maid anymore-that he should set her free. But he couldn't do that. Her father owed him a lot of money and that was how they agreed to pay it back.
Looking at his son skeptically he said, "I have yet to attend one of your ridiculous dinner parties, yet every Christmas you ask me. What makes you think this year would be any different?"

Bae's smile faltered and he felt his heart ache a little. "Because I am your son and we haven't had a Christmas together since I was twelve." Why was his father such a bastard sometimes? He was his only child; why couldn't he make time for his only son?

Gold didn't disagree with him. "And as my son you should know how much I despise Christmas!" He slammed his fist down on the table to prove his point.

Bae didn't even flinch when his father slammed his fist down, he was far too angry. "You didn't used to. You used to love it more than anyone. But if that's how you feel now, I just won't show up on Christmases to even say hi anymore."

That statement should have made Gold feel horrible and beg for forgiveness. He loved his son and wanted him in his life, but his anger blinded him from seeing that.
He also didn't believe those were really his son's words. "Is that your little wife speaking?" He knew Bae's wife didn't care too much for him and preferred not to have him around. "Why did you get married anyway?" he asked, baffled at the idea of marriage in general.

Bae scoffed at his father. "Actually it's not. It's eighteen year old me finally speaking what I have wanted to say and why I moved out as soon as I can. And I got married to Emma because she loves me and I love her. But that is something you wouldn't understand." He glared at his father, feeling as if he had just spat in his face. "It's a wonder my mother abandoned us. She wanted to get away from YOU while she still could." She suddenly turned on his heels and stormed off.

Gold watched as his son left, resisting the urge to go after him. After what Bae just said, he didn't want to go after him anyway. How dare he blame him for Milah leaving! She was a wretched woman who never wanted Bae to begin with. It was a wonder she stuck around for the first few years of Bae's life, but Gold had never had the courage to tell Bae the truth. No son deserved to know his parent didn't want him. Gold knew that firsthand.
Ignoring the pang in his chest, he went back to doing what he did best: working and counting his money.

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When Belle arrived back at the place she had been calling 'Home' for the past two years, she let a few tears fall as she began the rest of her chores, her heart aching in her chest. Why couldn't he just be like how he used to? Back when she had first found out about her feelings for him, he had been actually tolerable.

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As the end of the day neared, David wrung his hands in his lap nervously. He hadn't managed to get Gold to let him off early, but he was still hoping he could convince him to let him have at least part of Christmas Day. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his things and slowly made his way toward the back room.
Mr. Gold sat at his desk quietly, still pouring over his books, completely oblivious to anything else around him.

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Half way through the day, Belle realized that she should have been smart enough to know not to buy from Granny's. Especially not with Gold's money. As an apology for her behavior, she made him a dinner consisting of mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and roast beef; some of his favorites. While the food was cooking, she decorated the dining room with subtle festive things like candles, mistletoe and holly, and a snow globe or two that she had in her room from her old house.

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As it came time to close the shop, David got his courage up to walk to the back room. Knocking on the door frame, he took a deep breath. "Mr. Gold?"

Gold looked up when he heard David. At first, when he saw David was dressed to leave, he was confused. "Time to go already?" he asked and glanced over at the clock. Apparently it was. He had been so engulfed in his work that he had lost track of time. "Ah, yes. Well, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." His gaze fell back down to his papers.

David stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Um… About that. How about I make you a deal, I get to come into work a few hours late tomorrow but I will also stay in for how ever many hours after work free of charge. You won't need to pay me for over time. Please, it is my sons first Christmas, I NEED to spend it with him."

Mr. Gold stopped what he was doing, but didn't instantly look up. He took a second to close his eyes and take a deep breath. This holiday and the way everyone acted about it was really about to drive him mad. However, it had wore on him so much that day, he was unwilling to continue to fight it. Turning his head so his eyes met David's finally he said softly but impatiently, "Just take the day, but be here all the earlier the next morning." It was unlike him to do something like this, but he knew they wouldn't have much business, if any at all, on Christmas Day.

David's eyes widened as he heard him, shock written all over his face. "R-Really?" He couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his lips. Had he truly heard him correctly? "Thanks, Mr. Gold. Thank you so much!" Trying to hold in his excitement, he bid him a goodnight before quickly running home to his family, not wanting Gold to change his mind.