Rumpelstiltskin lay in the inky darkness of his chambers in the Dark Castle, flirting with sleep. He;d drifted in and out of slumber for the past several hours, as humans do, pretending that he bore their same limits. In reality, the Dark One could go weeks without sleeping or eating, sustaining himself only on his magic. But since his new maid had joined him, he found himself keeping schedule with her.
He rolled onto his back and listen to the nighttime noises. The shifting of the castle and the creak of the floors were normally attributed to Calcifer, the fire demon who owned him a debt of a hundred years service. Tonight, however, that was not the case. The creaking grew steadily closer until it was no surprise when the door pushed open, a sliver of light falling across the room.
He remained still while hoping his maid could not hear his pounding heart. Whenever she was around his pulse quickened and his breath grew shallow. It was alarming. Perhaps he was allergic to her.
Belle stepped inside, shutting the door behind her, and crossed to the bed. She was clad in one of his shirts (he wondered where it'd gone) and carried a toy stuffed donkey- a result of a deal he'd made with a little princess, in exchange for healing her kitten.
"Rumple?" he voice wavered as she knelt by the bed and with a pang in his chest, he noticed tear tracks on her face.
Rumpelstiltskin sat up, "What are you doing here?" he managed to growl.
"I had a nightmare," she sniffled.
He wanted to wipe away her tears and tell her everything would be alright, but he had a reputation to uphold. Also, he didn't want his strange affliction he suffered when she was near to worsen.
He said, "and? What do you want me to do about it?"
"Could I sleep here?" she asked, "With you?"
"I- you- me-!" he stuttered, "Why would you want to do that?!"
"I don't want to be by myself," Belle moved to sit on the edge of the bed, "I'd feel safer here with you."
The Dark One tried to think of a reason to refuse her, but became distracted by his shirt she wore. It was distracting, the way it hung off her shoulder and settled well above her knees.
Instead he found himself grumbling, "Well, alright, your crying will just keep me up if I say no."
He expected her to smile, or tilt her head and give him that amused-but-displeased loo she had when he was making a bad quip. But Belle crawled into bed beside him without a word. Laying down too, he wiped remnants of tears from her face.
"There we go, no more tears," he soothed, "You're safe here. No one dares enter the chamber of the Dark One- well, except for his little maid."
This earned him the smile he was hoping for, as Belle snuggled closer and said, "Thank you, from both Eeyore and I."
"Eeyore?" he questioned, touching the stuffed donkey between them.
She nodded, as well as someone laying down could, "I found him when I was cleaning the attics and thought he'd keep me company. Well, him and the books."
Rumpelstiltskin could count the times on one hand that he'd felt guilty in the past hundred years, yet the unfamiliar tightness was spreading through his chest.
"You're lonely?" he asked.
"You're away on business a lot, and when you are home you lock yourself away in the workshop," Belle admitted, "If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?"
The Dark One made no reply save to pet her hair. Living in solitude for so long, he had not thought about how Belle would fair in that climate. But, of course, he reasoned, she must have been very social in her father's court. The daughter and heir of a knight would have many interpersonal duties.
He continued with her hair, "Perhaps I don't need to be hidden in my workshop all the time..."
"I'd like that," Belle yawned and, taking his hand, rolled over so they lay her back to his front, his arm draped over her.
He stiffened. The sudden increase in proximity caused his pulse to spike again and a rush of blood to places not normally discussed between masters and servants.
Belle, perceptive as she was, noticed that something was amiss and asked, "is this alright?"
"Everything is fine!" he trilled, "Your feet are just cold. Calcifer!"
The fire demon ignored his request for warmth. He repeated his plea, "Calcifer!"
"Calcifer," Belle called sleepily, "Would you light the fire please?"
The fire sprung to life with a light blue flame that was large enough to warm, but small enough not to hinder slumber.
"Thank you Calcifer," she mumbled.
"Stupid fire demon," Rumpelstiltskin grumbled, "Of course the castle likes you better."
All the same, he pulled her closer and let the sound of the fire, and the closeness of one another, put them to sleep.
By morning light the fire had dwindled to a slow burn, devoid of the fire demon. Belle was still sleeping, head on Rumpelstiltskin's chest. He was acutely aware of the tightness in his tightness in his sleeping trousers but ignored to to watch Belle sleep.
The sun had other plans, though, throwing its beams across them, into Belle's face. She stirred, waking.
With a sleepy smile she nuzzled his throat and said, "Good morning."
"'Morning," his voice came out lower and much darker than he intended.
"Did you have a nice sleep?" she asked, fingers tracing little patterns along his chest. He couldn't take it anymore. Her smell, her touch, so close to him. He needed something, dark passions blooming in his soul.
He caught her wrist, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, little one."
She looked up at him, blue eyes more curious than scared.
His voice dropped an octave, "You may have survived a night with the monster, but he is having a difficult time not devouring you whole."
"I'm not afraid," she whispered, "Do your worst."
He flipped her onto her back, noting in the back of his mind that Eeyore fell off the bed in the process. He pushed the night shirt she wore up, exposing her stomach. He kissed her there.
"Tell me to stop," he begged, "Tell me to stop and you'll be done with me."
"Don't stop," Belle sighed as his fingers skimmed her underwear. He tugged her panties down, "I want you."
That was all the orders the Dark One needed. His previous worried of allergies forgotten, he pulled the rest of the night shirt up and off of her body, leaving her bare to him.
Slow kisses trialed across her throat, across her breasts, down her navel. He dipped between her splayed legs, nose tickled by the dark patch of hair there. He spread her folds with two fingers and ran his tongue along her entrance.
Belle gasped and arched at the new sensation. Rumpelstiltskin continued, lapping at her juices. He paid special attention to her clit, tongue circling and teeth scrapping as she moaned with each motion. Belle writhed as he worked, begging him for release.
He tried to prolong her pleasure (suffering) as long as he could, but soon she cried out, his name filling the air as she came. He moved back up her body, kissing her mouth, letting her taste herself on his juices as he fumbled with his pants. His length free, he paused, tip to her entrance.
"Are you sure, darling?" he whispered into her hair.
She nodded, stretching up to kiss his throat, hands in his hair.
He forced himself to go slowly, pushing into her. He felt her inhale sharply beneath him and he stopped for a moment before pulling out and thrusting again. They found a pace that suited both parties, and soon their skin, their moans, and feeling of being one were the only thing both Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were aware of.
Belle came again, clenching around the Dark One, bringing him over the edge too. She cried out as he nipped her shoulder, spilling into her. He rolled to one side and pulled her close. Belle snuggled into him, sighing contently. Rumpelstiltskin nuzzled her hair and the two fell back into sated slumber.