The first few days of being the Dark One's servant, Belle was unsure about what to call him. Her first instinct was to call him sir, but he may prefer any other range of names, such as Dark One, master, Rumplestiltskin, or something else entirely. She also wasn't sure how to ask him what he preferred to be called. He was a rather mysterious man... One evening, after he had finished his tea, she began to clean up the tray to get ready for dinner.
"Dearie, fetch me some more straw, will you?" he asked. His basket was nearly empty, though she wasn't sure why he couldn't just magic some to his basket. She didn't want to be rude however.
"Yes, sir, in a moment," she said automatically.
"'Sir'?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her. The shadows falling across his face made him look so much more beast like, more menacing. It frightened her slightly, but she didn't show it. "I have a name. Use it."
"Yes, Rumplestiltskin," she nodded, and went off to fetch some straw. So she was to call him by his name. That was quite alright, of course, but it was quite a mouth full. Perhaps she would just have to get used to it. It was fun to say sometimes anyway. She sort of sang his long name when she felt like teasing him, but after a few weeks of saying "Yes, Rumplestiltskin" over and over and over, it began to tire her mouth out. It was such a long name, and sometimes when she was in a hurry, she got tongue tied, (which he laughed hysterically at).
"I need something else to call you," she said as he entered the room, back from another deal. He stopped and stared at her as she cleaned the table.
"What?" he asked in a flat tone of voice.
"Rumplestiltskin is such a long name," she said. "I need something to call you that's shorter so my mouth doesn't get worn down daily."
"Rumplestiltskin is my name, dearie," he said. " It's that or nothing... Perhaps I shall take your voice from your throat so you have no ability to speak. Your mouth wont get worn down that way."
He expected her to gasp ad back away, beg not to take her voice, but instead her mouth spread into a smile and she let out a laugh that sounded like music to him.
"Rumple, you wouldn't do that to me," she shook her head, smiling and laughing. He froze.
"'Rumple'?" he asked. Nobody had called him that in fun and innocence since Cora. Oh Regina called him that every once in a while, but she called him that more out of jest and teasing. Belle calling him that made his heart flutter a bit.
"Yes, I'm calling you Rumple. It's a lot shorter than your name, but it's still calling you by it. So how about just Rumple?" she said, quite determined with that bright smile on her face. What had he done to deserve being smiled at by an angel?
"Well... since Rumple is shorter, you may call me that, dearie, if it pleases you," he said. "But you are not allowed to refer to me by that name if we are ever to be in public again."
"It's been weeks since the incident with Robin Hood, Rumple, I don't think we're going into the public any time soon," she said.
"And you would think correct, dearie!" he giggled, waving his finger at her. He headed towards his spinning wheel. He needed to forget about some butcher he'd turned into a pig...
"And now you should start calling me Belle," she said. "I've had enough of this 'dearie' stuff."
He didn't respond, but she thought she saw him smile. Smiling herself, she decided to get a ladder. It was almost spring time, and she wanted to let in some light. And Rumple's heavy curtains needed to be opened.
This is just a short little fic that i was prompted to write not too long ago. I think it's rather cute. please review i love comments. hugs and loves.