The Courtship
A note from Serade Black: I got an overwhelming response to my first Rumbelle story, which I brought upon myself to continue. As my story is already AU, please be aware there shall be spoilers up until the night of the series airing, along with certain events happening out of sequence.
Ch. 1
The world was anew. Small sounds of tiny explosions could be heard just outside the windows of the two-story pink mansion that sat at the end of the road. The moon was bright in the sky, casting just enough light through the windows as the surrounding candles dimmed low. The fire crackled before them, allowing the burning wood and shifting embers to adjust themselves as the heat intensified. A new log was just put on the fire, so the roar was just finding its rhythm.
The town square was sure to be alive. A living, breathing organism of its own consisting of cheers, song, drink, small sparklers, children running around free together, scarves tightened and laughter filling the ears of everyone around. A new year was before them, new adventures at every turn, but still lost within themselves and lost without their true identity.
Mr. Gold lounged in the far corner of his couch; his socked feet were propped up on his coffee table. His cigar long forgotten and his glass of brandy half empty and sitting on a coaster. Tucked under his left arm was a beautiful brunette with chestnut waves and she was curled as close to him as she could get. Her head rested against his chest and the hand that wasn't burrowed under her interlaced and released his fingers with hers over and over again. Both of them sighed contently, as if the end of a particular long endeavor had finally come to an end and peace could be found. The T. V. was off and the two of them just stared into the flames of the fire burning in the room with them.
Belle sighed, "I suppose I should break up with Leo."
"Yes, I suppose you should," he said with a calm air in his voice and not an arrogant "matter of fact" sound like the old Rumplestiltskin. "Should have done that, anyway."
"Well, I was cursed, now, wasn't I?" she added, looking up to better see his face.
"That will be everyone's excuse. Like, when Charming finds out his wife slept with Whale."
"Katherine slept with Dr. Whale?"
"No, Snow," he cleared up, looking down at his pretty girl. He lifted a finger to slide over the outline of her perfect nose.
"Oh, right, the curse," Belle said and readjusted herself to watch the fire with him. She snuggled a little bit closer to him, if it was possible. "So, who is Dr. Whale?"
"Frankenstein."
She tensed and sat up again, this time better to see him completely, "The monster?" She looked frightened, terrified, but Mr. Gold hushed her with a soothing hand to her cheek.
He shook his head, "No, the maker. The doctor, not the beast. I'm the only beast in this town." He couldn't help but give her a sly smile, almost mischievous. His gold tooth peeked behind his lips.
Relieved, Belle leaned in closer leaving her lips only inches away from his. Her blue eyes stared him down, seductive and hopeful. "You're not a beast or a monster." Closing the space between them, she placed a soft kiss upon his lips. He was absolutely still under her touch, as if fearful she'd run off if he made any movement. So, as she fed into his submissive behavior, she pressed on brazenly. "Do me a favor, Rumple?"
"Anything," he whispered against her lips, resting his hands on her hips as she shifted herself on top of him, straddling his lap. He could barely believe that she was there with him, in the flesh, showing him the affection she was.
"Don't ever send me away, again," she whispered back into their kiss.
She found it very difficult to get enough of him, enough of his taste, enough of his breath against her skin as they gently lapped their tongues together in a silent song their hearts knew so well. Too many years apart and so many truths left unsaid, left them vulnerable to fragile human emotions.
Her desperate words stung him, forcing him to break their kiss. He pushed her only a few inches back, enough so that she could see his face and the absolute truth in his eyes when he said, "Never again, Belle. Never again."
The Beauty always saw the good in her Beast, so Belle saw the honesty in Rumplestiltskin. Though hurt with the overall dismay displayed on his face, she was assured that he was sincere in his promise. A misunderstanding, a cowardly move and the fear of allowing himself to be loved was all in the past, because now they could start anew together. They could be together, like they both wanted: Belle and Rumplestiltskin when together and Anna and Mr. Gold to the outside world.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The weather outside was pleasant on that bright cool day. Mr. Gold's pawnshop hadn't many visitors that afternoon, so it was time to go over some inventory he had long overlooked the past few months. Something in particular that he believed needed a very good polishing was the genie lamp that once harbored Queen Regina's beloved husband killer.
He was just sliding the glass panel of his display case open when the little bell over his front door jingled pleasantly. His eyes peered over the counter to see his visitor, and smiled when he was graced with the heavenly vision of his favorite brunette wearing a long sleeved blue dress with short ankle boots. She shut the door a little harder than necessary and Mr. Gold watched as her swift determined steps made their way towards him.
"I do hope you don't break my little bell, Belle," he said with a half grin and cheek as he took out the object and set it carefully down on top of the counter.
He had just flicked out a rag and taken the lid off the polishing solution he was preparing to use, when he noticed his beauty wasn't smiling. Her concentrated and determined look followed her actions as she quite urgently made her way to him. It was clear that it wasn't anger that harbored over her, once she let a tiny smirk sneak away. She moved her way around the counter, reached for his right arm and dragged him with her beyond the curtain that hid his office. Once out of the public view, she spun around and pressed her body up against his, tangling her fingers into his hair and laying on a kiss that nearly rendered him boneless.
He welcomed her advances, allowing her to walk him backwards so that he was leaning against his own desk seeing as the young woman had deprived him of his cane in her haste. Once balanced, he wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her in tighter, allowing Belle to stake her claim on his mouth. Like a harlot on the docks, she worked herself onto him, sliding her tongue between this lips and nipping his lower lip between her teeth, eliciting soft growls from the back of his throat. Her affections intensified, igniting a simmering burn deep in his loins, much like waking a sleeping dragon.
"My darling Belle," he whispered, entranced by her dominance, "whatever has gotten into you?" He felt her fingers curl into his hair, scratching his scalp and he drank in her mouth like a man who hadn't drunk for days. "Mind you, I'm not complaining," he said with a breathy voice.
Finally, Belle slowed down her kisses, slowly breaking them up and giving short sweet ones as she said, "I'm officially a free woman." With one last kiss against his soft lips, she pulled away, "I broke it all off with Leo."
The final weight of him sat down on his desk, after leaning on it, relieving some of the pressure on his leg. Their moment together had been epic, gaining speed with Belle's advances, feeling out the emotional crescendo and slowly coming back down to be grounded. Hearing her words had sealed their deal to resume being together, as she once promised forever so many years ago, and it made him feel worthy and important to such a blessing.
He raised a hand to cup her cheek, cherishing her sweet face in his palm as he added, "But, now you're with the Dark One."
Belle only smiled; her eyes blue and honest as she met his darker brown ones. With a slight tilt of her head, as if she'd only just discovered something, she added, "So be it." Another full smile and light kiss had her following with, "The heart wants what the heart wants."
This warmed his old dark heart to a new temperature, wanting desperately to lock this woman up and never let her out of his sight again. He would protect her from the world, the curse, Regina, her father, and fate to keep her safe and close. He relished their touching, wishing his entire day could be spent being fawned upon by his pretty young companion. Alas, their reality was the aura around them, and he could not lock her away, nor could he keep her away from Storybrooke. Instead, he would settle for the passion she harbored for him, allowing her to take any liberties she desired.
Belle stood close to him as he was practically seated on top of his desk. With one arm around his neck and her palm against his chest, she smoothed out his tie, touching him up from her ravishing. He let her preen him for as long as she allowed him to keep his arm around her waist.
As her fingers swept over his face, pushing his hair away from his eyes he said, "I have a gift for you."
"A gift?" she asked inquisitively. Mr. Gold reached behind him on his desk and picked up a small box with a ribbon tied around it. Reaching for her hand, he placed the little box in her open palm. Her eyes flashed to his, accompanied by a hesitant grin. Very carefully, she untied the ribbon and opened the lid in front of him, keeping close in his space. Inside was a very small key and attached to it was a little tab that said, "Library". She bit her lower lip and met his dark brown eyes with her sparkling blue ones as she asked, "Is this a key to your house?"
Giving his head a light shake, he patted the pocket of his lapel and said, "No, that's in this pocket." He offered her a crooked smile, "This is a key to something much bigger."
"The library?" she queried, but her smile feigned as elation took over. Mr. Gold nodded just once as she comprehended the magnitude of his gift. "You got me the key to the library? You're giving me an entire library?"
"I made some calls," he began to explain as both his arms were now circled around her. "Turns out, they'll be looking for a librarian soon."
The weight of his words slowly melted into her like chocolate on the tongue. Her eyes grew larger and once again, she bit that delicious lower lip. "And I'm sure you've already put in a good word for me?"
"I had nothing good to say about you. Never even mentioned you in the slightest," he said, dropping his arms and standing up from his desk. Very carefully, he limped passed her in search of his cane, knowing that he had left a curious woman in his wake.
"Rumple..."
He stopped before disappearing behind his curtain and turned around, pulling a card from his lapel pocket. His fingers held it out, as if dangling a string in front of a cat. "They'll be expecting your call, madam."
She plucked the card from his fingers and gave him a quick kiss as payment, leaving the store much giddier than when she came in. The little bell jingled a little bit friendlier, this time.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Belle, Anna to everyone else, was walking down the sidewalk towards the pawn shop. She hugged the strap of her messenger bag tightly to her chest, ducking her head from the crisp chilly wind cutting through anyplace it could sneak into her coat. Granny's was within stepping distance and she felt that a nice hot tea and a red rose would brighten his day.
She quickly stepped inside of the local diner, shaking the cold off of her like a dog jumping out of a bathtub and walked up to the front counter. Ruby was busy twirling about and taking orders, while her grandmother manned the cashier's post.
"Afternoon, Anna," Granny said with a stiff and stern smile. "Just one today?"
"Ah, no, I'm just here to order a couple of hot teas to-go, please," she said, unzipping her jacket to let herself breathe while in the comforts of the warm restaurant.
"I'll get them, Granny!" Ruby shouted over her shoulder as she stood in front of seated customers with her note pad in hand, furiously jotting down orders.
"I guess Ruby will be getting those for you," Granny obliged with a suspicious grin, as if impressed her granddaughter could hear her order so well.
Belle prepaid for her teas and sat down at a nearby table to wait. It only seemed to be a few minutes before Ruby was nearly flying out from behind the counter, the string of the tea bag still dangling outside of the cups and setting down in front of Belle. With a few minutes to spare, Ruby slipped into the chair opposite her friend and grinned a perfect smile with red lips and dark eyelashes, moving in on her like a wolf on the hunt teasing her prey.
"So, when were you going to tell me you broke it off with Leo?" Ruby asked as she rested her chin on her wrist, ready for her friend to dish. Belle was immediately caught off guard, not ready to answer for that, yet. Still, Ruby's eyebrows rose and she waited patiently for an answer.
Slightly nervous, she replied, "Ruby, it's only been a week. I haven't really seen you and it's not really something I would just text."
"Yes, it would be. You can text anything!" she said with enthusiasm, as if it were the only mode of communication these days. "So, why did you ditch, Leo?"
"Is that what he's saying? That I ditched him?"
"Well, not those words, but they're my words. I guess I should have thought something was up when you ditched me on New Year's Eve so quickly-"
"I didn't ditch you, Ruby," Belle was quick to add. She didn't want to send the wrong message to her closest friend. "I just had somewhere to be."
Ruby gave her a suspicious hum, like she didn't believe her and continued, "So, why did you dump him?" Ruby was hell-bent on getting it out of her and paid no attention to the grill cook who was calling her name for an order that was ready. After his third catcall, Ruby rolled her eyes and said, "Be right back!" In seconds, she had collected her food, delivered it, cashed a check out with Granny and was back sitting with her at the little table where her two covered hot teas sat simmering. "So, again, why no more, Leo?"
Belle tried to put what the truth was is the simplest of words, but considered it wasn't going to be very easy to explain. "We just weren't meant to be, Ruby. That's all. He's more about hanging out with his guy friends and doing keg stands than being something just with me."
"There's more..." Ruby tried to pull out, licking her wolf-like lips with the tip of her tongue, waiting for a juicy tidbit.
"No, there isn't, really. I truly wasn't that fond of him and that's about it. I'm good, now. Finding my own way."
"And you're not seeing anyone else, right now?"
Glancing around the room, she replied, "I can't say, right now, Ruby. It's still very, very new."
Ruby considered her and gave a quick look around the diner to make sure no one was eavesdropping, well other than Granny. "Know what I think?" she asked, leaning in closer to Belle.
"What do you think?" she replied, leaning in to share the secret.
"I think you're secretly seeing Mr. Gold and didn't want to tell Leo about it, because he'd flip."
Belle felt her stomach flip and her cheeks warm, "What makes you say that?"
"Because," she said as she stood, up, believing she was right, "I saw the way he looked at you that night here in the diner." Ruby pointed a finger to her friend, nearly touching her nose, but assuming just the same. "And don't you deny it, because I saw the puppy dog look you shared with him, as well." Ruby stood up, waiting for a reaction, but when Belle was silent she leaned back down again, letting her long ponytail fall forward, "Nice try, Anna. Don't worry; your secret is safe with me."
"Ruby," Belle begged, offering a last chance to sway her friend's mind, but conceded with a smile. "Thank you."
Smiling big, her closed mouth with red lips reminded Belle of the storybook Cheshire Cat, Ruby pushed in her chair and said, "No problem. The heart wants what the heart wants. Better get that hot tea to him, before it gets cold."
Belle returned the smile, feeling better about her new transition and stood up with her two teas. With a slight nod from Granny, believing that she was privy to the same information as Ruby, Belle left the diner and was back on the sidewalk for the brief chilly journey to the pawn shop.
It was going to be some amazing balancing feat to keep the teas from tumbling to the ground had Emma not opened the door from the inside of the shop. The local sheriff was just on her way out, pocketing what appeared to be an antique gold watch with a long chain, as she held the door open for her. Once inside and the women had said their pleasantries when passing, Belle walked up to the counter where Mr. Gold stood. He was just tucking in a name card back into his card catalogue next to him. As she set down the two teas, Belle peeked around to see that the name card was blank and gave him an inquisitive glance.
"It's all part of the plan, sweetheart," he said simply, closing the small drawer in front of her with a push of his finger. "You brought me tea?"
"I did," she said while sliding her bag off her shoulder and unzipping her coat. Once free, she leaned over the counter and offered herself to him, awaiting a much deserved kiss. "What did Emma want?"
Removing the lid of his tea and discarding it in the trash behind him, he replied, "She's looking for a father of two children she's come across. Hansel and Gretel to be exact."
Belle gave him a look over her shoulder as if teased with the storytelling and set off to perform her weekly flower ritual at the front of the shop. Seeing as their relationship was still unknown to the rest of the town, it was best to keep up her ruse in order to see him in his shop frequently. She clipped the leaves away, perfecting its bloom and sliding the rose into the slender vase that she had finally recognized as the one from his Dark Castle.
"So, I start on Monday," Belle said, glancing in his direction as he made his way along the counter to stand across from her; his cane thumped along the floor.
"Wonderful, dearie," he said with a cool smoldering voice, as if proud of his results and sipped his tea as he eyed her carefully. She was still a beauty to behold, even in this uncivilized world.
"They didn't even mention the fact that you probably threatened to double their rent if they didn't use me," she chided with a nibble of her lower lip.
Looking somewhat surprised, "Are they saying that? Because, I didn't do anything of the sort! I can now, if they are spreading rumors about-"
Belle lifted her hands to his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss, assuring him she was only teasing. Her fingers fell to his tie once they pulled away, Mr. Gold now pacified, "I'm only joking. They didn't say a word."
He sighed, taking her in and relishing their little interlude, "Good thing, then."
"I have one request," she said, evading his attempt for another kiss. Her fingers still gripped his tie, believing she would have the upper hand, if she was able to keep him at bay.
Poised and ready, not sure if he wanted to agree, he pressed on, "And what is that?"
She adjusted his tie, smoothing down any creases she may have caused as she explained, "Every night at the end of my shift, you come over and walk me home." Mr. Gold gave her an uneasy look, somewhat hesitant to agree. "Because, I'm moving into the apartment above the building." He perked up. "It's for the caretaker of the library and now I'll be in skipping distance of you during the day."
His repulsion of having to walk her home to her father's house was not something he cared to do, but the idea of her living on her own made things much easier. Darker thoughts invaded his mind and he was unable to turn his frown into a slightly sinister smirk, shadowing a glimpse of what he was in their old land.
"My dear, the idea of you skipping to me, well, it sends a sensation through this old body that I probably shouldn't be feeling."
Belle met his smirk and replied somewhat demure, "Perhaps that's the message I'm trying to send?"
Mr. Gold's immortal heart fluttered in his chest as if he were a young boy again with his crush nearby, only his crush had turned out to be his very determined True Love. How their universes could collide when the Fates had seen him as nothing but something to cast away, was beyond him. Still, she stood before him, the most beautiful woman in Storybrooke or even of their land, all the Princess she could be in mind, body and soul and she wanted nothing more than to fix his tie and run her fingers to the tips of his brown-graying hair.