The wiry man who had been elected as spokesman for the village stood uneasily, shifting his weight from one foot to the other again and again, clearly uncomfortable in the presence of the Dark One. As bad as their situation had become, many had thought that the sorcerer would never respond to their pleas, and so hadn't bothered to imagine what it would be like to face him.
Rumplestiltskin didn't answer every summons he received. He was the Dark One, after all, not some common errand boy. But the truly desperate, the ones worth dealing with, would call many times if he did not reply at first. So when the tiny village on a remote sea shore sent a fourth request, he decided he would grace them with an audience, wondering what could possibly be troubling such an inconsequential place that much. The man before him seemed unable to begin, as he opened and closed his mouth several times without any sentences forming.
"Well then, dearie," he prompted with his usual gusto, "tell me your troubles. Those last two messages seemed quite insistent."
"Of course, of course, Dark One," the little man managed, nodding. "There is a beast that has been plaguing our village for some weeks. It comes in the night and steals from our food stores. Our supplies are nearly gone. If this creature isn't stopped, we will starve. Please, can you help us?"
Rumplestiltskin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Has anyone seen this beast?"
"Only glimpses. It comes from the sky, over the sea, with wings as black as smoke, and a cry that could chill your very soul."
Something glimmered in the back of the Dark One's mind, but the pieces weren't all in place for him to be sure he was correct. "Just one beast, you're certain of this?"
"Oh yes, just one. Any more and we'd already be starved out."
"Hmmmmm." Rumplestiltskin tapped his cheek with a finger. The description sounded like a harpy, but he'd only heard of them travelling in flocks. That there was one acting on its own interested him more than he'd expected. He smiled slowly and snapped his fingers. "Very well, I shall take care of your little beast!" He waved a hand and produced a long slip of parchment from thin air. A quill appeared in his other hand. "Just sign on the dotted line, and all will be well."
"Wonderful, wonderful! Thank you so much." The man signed with barely a glance at the writing, as so many hapless souls did. But the Dark One would revisit that later. As the contract disappeared in a puff of smoke, he was already thinking of his next several steps.
The moon was high and full that night, shining brightly on the sea below her. The harpy came towards the shore over the waves as silent as a shadow, as she had many nights before. The store houses were slightly taller than the other buildings, and she made her way towards them, thinking of the feast that awaited.
As she crossed the perimeter of the village, what looked like a net made of pure light appeared in front of her. She let out a piercing shriek as she tried to dodge, but it was too close. However, to her surprise, she flew straight through the trap. Swinging herself around and hovering for a moment, she saw the magic fizzle into nothing. Circling back towards the store houses, she cried out again, this time in anger, as a lightning bolt came toward her. This time it dissipated before even touching her. Apparently she wasn't in any real danger, so she swooped to the nearest roof and landed, folding her wings and glaring into the dark.
Barely a moment passed when a cloud of purple smoke appeared next to her. It cleared to reveal a bizarre looking man, covered in scales and clad in tight fitting leathers. His bright amber eyes fixed on her with irritation as he easily balanced on the sloping roof. "Why does my magic not work on you?" he demanded.
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "I'm sure I don't know," she answered lightly. "I would like to know why you attacked me without provocation. Tell me quickly before I decide to tear your arms off."
"Did you think the poor villagers would sit meekly by forever while you gorged yourself on their food stores?" he shot back, though his manner was more snide than sympathetic towards those poor villagers. "No dearie, they've called upon me to take care of their little problem. Meaning you, of course."
Her talons tightened and the wood beneath her groaned. "They've obviously misplaced their faith," she said, ruffling her feathers. "You clearly don't have what it takes to ensnare me, if your previous attempt is anything to go on."
Rumplestiltskin snarled and flung a hand towards her, loosing a bolt of power. She didn't even flinch as the magic simply disappeared without coming near her.
A screech that may have been a laugh escaped the harpy when she spread her wings and took flight, leaving the bewildered sorcerer on the roof.
Rumplestiltskin slammed the huge book down on the table. He stared around the workshop as if he could pull an answer from thin air. None of the information he could find on harpies explained why they might be immune to magic. Aside from their immortality and some scattered accounts of shapeshifting, they didn't seem to have much magic of their own. Even the mystery of why this particular harpy didn't seem to be part of a group had eluded him, though admittedly that part of the conundrum had been overshadowed by the more pressing issue.
Grinding his teeth in frustration, he made his way down to the great hall. He was so consumed by his own thoughts that several moments passed before he took in the scene.
There was food scattered across the table. Perched on the back of his chair, smacking her lips contentedly, was that same damn harpy. Rumplestiltskin stopped mid stride and stared in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Good evening to you too," she replied, feathers rustling.
The Dark One crossed his arms tightly over his chest, angrily eyeing her. Her head was cocked slightly, her disturbingly large blue eyes fixed on him. She was more attractive than harpies were supposed to be, he grudgingly noticed, grinding his teeth again as the thought passed. "Look, harpy, I don't know what-"
"Belle."
He actually sputtered for a second. "What?"
"My name," she said slowly, snaring a clawful of bread and tossing it into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed, her gaze never leaving him. "That's my name. Belle." He pressed his lips together tightly and breathed deeply through his nose but kept silent. Her head tilted again, curious. "What's yours?"
He growled slightly, but answered anyway. "Rumplestiltskin. More commonly known as the Dark One."
"How intimidating," she said, a small smile crossing her face.
He uncrossed his arms, unable to keep his hands from balling into fists at his sides. "So they tell me," he said in an attempt at nonchalance. "May I ask what, precisely, you are doing in my castle? And on my chair?"
Belle still had that insufferable grin on her face. "Well, I'm on your chair because it was closest to the food," she began in a tone that implied it was obvious. She snagged a strawberry with a claw and ate it before continuing. "I'm in your castle because I thought I would do you a favor."
Rumplestiltskin scoffed. "What favor could you possibly do for me?"
"You said yourself, that little village called upon you to help get rid of me. Since you couldn't quite manage it in your own way, I decided that I'll leave the village alone anyway. This way they won't know that you failed."
Magic crackled at his fingertips at that, but she just rolled her eyes and helped herself to some more food, completely unconcerned. After a deep breath, he had control of himself again.
"So you see, I am doing you a favor."
"Tormenting me instead of those insipid villagers is supposed to be a favor?"
Belle wrinkled her nose at him. "Torment is a strong word."
"And yet it grows more appropriate with every passing minute."
She laughed softly, a completely different sound than the vicious cackle he had heard her make back at the village. "Either way, your reputation remains intact, and I still get plenty of food to eat." Belle regarded him for a long moment. "Have a seat, there's plenty left. I'll even let you have your chair back."
Rumplestiltskin snorted. "Not likely," he replied before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.
Belle just grinned to herself. Stealing from terrified mortals was all well and good, but she had a feeling that this was going to be a lot more fun.
Rumplestiltskin avoided the great hall for a couple days after that. He took a few deals he hadn't really been interested in, tinkered with some potions in his workshop, and just generally made himself scarce around meal times. He felt certain that if he had enough time to himself, he could find a way to banish the obnoxious harpy.
After performing some experiments and casting a few spells of his own creation, he went down to the hall to see the results.
"Good morning," came an obnoxiously bright voice the moment he stepped through the door. Sure enough, Belle was again perched on the back of his chair at the head of the table, rifling through a plate of scones with a claw. He let out an aggrieved sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Won't you join me for some breakfast? I don't know who cooks your food but it is delicious."
He looked at her with raised eyebrows. Her head was cocked to the side again as she watched him. With another sigh, he was about to leave again when he suddenly changed his mind. Clearly he wasn't making any headway trying to get rid of her with magic. Perhaps he could use her invasive presence as a chance to not only get her to go, but learn a bit more about her kind. Yes, that sounded like an excellent use of his time, now he thought of it. "Oh very well," he said in his most begrudging tone. For some reason, his acceptance made her smile. She spread her wings for balance as she vacated the back of his chair and perched comfortably on the one to the right. Making sure to scowl as he passed her, Rumplestiltskin took his seat.
"I thought harpies were supposed to be a dour breed," he observed, as she still had a bit of a grin on her face. Perhaps she was just insipid, though he didn't think it was that simple.
"Perhaps we just need a bit of company every now and again," she replied, spearing a piece of toast on a claw and nibbling at it.
"Indeed, unwilling company always cheers me up as well," Rumplestiltskin quipped. She shook her head in amusement. He merely watched her for a few moments, the wheels in his head turning. "Are all harpies immune to magic?"
Belle finished her toast, chewing slowly, before giving a shrug. "I wouldn't know," she said in a soft voice. "I don't really see any others."
That caught his interest. He'd been intrigued when he'd first realized she was on her own. Now he was on a path to discovery. "I thought your kind lived in flocks."
"Mmmmm, usually that's true," she said, avoiding his gaze and pushing some fruit around a plate with a claw. "I remember the others, from when I was very young. They told me I didn't look right. And they left me behind."
The Dark One almost found himself feeling a bit sorry for her, which surprised him. He attempted to push the feeling aside and said, "I presume they were the more commonly known brand of harpy, aesthetically speaking." Belle looked over at him, head tilted in confusion. "I mean they were ugly," he clarified. "Most of the stories involving your kind go into great detail about how grotesque and hideous you're supposed to be. I've seen one or two tales describing harpies as 'lovely'. I suppose it means that one who looks like you is exceedingly rare. Your friends must have been the other type and didn't care to have someone like you around."
Belle lowered her eyes and ruffled her feathers a bit. He wasn't sure, but it seemed like she was blushing. He realized then he had inadvertently complimented her. For some reason, the thought made him glad.
Abruptly he stood, clearing his throat. "Well, I have dealing to attend to. I'm sure you can find your way out again." He didn't give her a chance to reply before disappearing.
A full two days passed with Belle returning to the castle each meal time only to be disappointed by Rumplestiltskin's absence. She was surprised at how much she wanted his company, although perhaps it made sense. She'd been alone for a very very long time after all, ever since her nest mates had abandoned her, and she'd never met another harpy like herself. Few mortals she'd chanced upon had gotten past the initial fear to really notice anything about her, and they were so alien to her that she never really bothered with them, aside from stealing their food of course. But this Dark One was different enough from humans that he captivated her. So she kept coming back, and was rewarded for her patience during lunch time on the third day, when he was already seated at the grand table when she came soaring through the open doors.
Belle had no sooner alighted on the chair to his right when he gave her a scathing look and asked, "Do you always have that ridiculous look on your face?"
"Good afternoon to you too," she replied with a roll of her eyes before tearing into a plate of food that had been laid before her place. That ridiculous look, she knew, was the smile she couldn't hold back when she had seen that he was here.
Rumplestiltskin was silent for several minutes while she ate, and when she finally slowed down and turned to look at him, he raised his eyebrows. "What?" she asked, head tilted.
"You eat as though you haven't seen food in days," he said.
Belle shrugged. "I only eat what I take from others' tables, so I must make it last."
"Why is that?"
She paused, thinking it over while she poked at a roll with her claws. "It's my nature, I suppose. I fly where there is food, and when I find it I get hungry. So I must eat until I'm satisfied." He was gazing at her thoughtfully, so she tossed the roll into her mouth.
"Most of the stories say harpies leave nothing behind, or if they do, they ruin it so it cannot be eaten. But you've left good food on my table."
"Maybe those stories only account for more than one harpy," she replied.
"Even so, you'd be perfectly capable of fouling the leftovers if you chose to."
"Are you suggesting I do so?"
"Just gathering information, dearie," he said, waving a hand. "Knowledge is power, as they say."
"And what do you intend to do with that power, oh mysterious one?" She couldn't help smiling as she asked.
He waggled his fingers at her and gave her an impish grin, saying, "That's for me to know and you to wonder!"
Belle just shook her head. He was a strange creature, but certainly entertaining. She did wonder what his eventual intentions were, thought she didn't worry as he clearly couldn't do her any harm magically. But mostly she wondered how long she would be able to keep his company. Though it hadn't been long at all, she hoped she wouldn't have to return to her lonely existence any time soon. He was far too interesting.
Rumplestiltskin felt like he should have been concerned at how quickly he grew accustomed to the harpy's presence, how he began to look forward to mealtimes. For a being who could conceivably live without eating, he was spending a lot of time lingering at the table, talking to Belle. Certainly he was still learning about harpies in general, asking her about their ways and any powers they might have (she asserted that she had none, at least that she was aware of) and other inane details. But he couldn't deny that his heart wasn't in it as much now. He was more interested in her, so much so that he made sure to schedule his dealings around the times he knew she would be in the castle.
Truly, he should be more worried about his feelings, but he just couldn't manage it. So he carried on making what was unmistakably a friendship with her.
They had spent many days sharing conversation over meals before he broached the subject of her visiting at other times. The two were down to just playing with the food left on the table when he mentioned it, and she looked at him, as she so often did, with her head cocked to the side. 'Cute' was not a word he'd ever expected to use in regards to a harpy, but damned if it didn't apply where Belle was concerned. "I only mean, I know you must get lonely, living by yourself. You could come here whenever you'd like, to break up the monotony."
Belle's wings rustled as she made a show of thinking it over. "I just might. Thank you, Rumple."
His brows lifted a little at the nickname, one he'd been called before, but not for centuries. Hearing it in Belle's voice made him smile. "You're welcome, Belle."
She certainly didn't delay in taking him up on his offer. The very next morning, before the sun had even risen, he was at his spinning wheel when he heard the flapping of wings. Looking round, he saw that she had landed on her usual chair at the empty table. "Morning, dearie."
"Morning," she replied with her customary smile. "What's that you're doing?
Rumplestiltskin turned back to the wheel and snapped his fingers. A large cushioned perch appeared behind his seat and he gestured vaguely towards it. "What I'm known for. Come and see."
Belle glided across the room and settled next to him, the perch groaning slightly beneath her talons. She was close enough that her wing brushed his shoulder as she leaned forward to watch what he was doing. He spun the wheel and fed the straw through, glancing over at her as it changed. She let out a small, fascinated sound when she saw what had happened. "It's gold!"
He couldn't help a chuckle. "Indeed it is. That's what I do, what I'm best known for, aside from my deals of course. I spin straw into gold."
"But why?"
Trust her to question everything. "Why do you stuff that silly face of yours, hmm? It's just what I do, dearie, what I've always done. Once I just spun wool into yarn, back when I was human." He wasn't sure what made him say it, since he rarely if ever referred to that long gone era. But of course Belle turned her inquisitive eyes on him the moment the words left his mouth.
"You were human?"
"A very, very long time ago." The wheel had stopped but he stared at it until she nudged him with a wing.
"Would you..tell me about it? About your life?"
He just looked at her for a long moment. "Why would you want to know about my life?"
The small smile she gave him was somehow more serious than any look he'd seen on her face before. "I want to know everything about you," she replied simply, as if it were the obvious answer.
He scoffed and looked back at the wheel, setting it back into motion before he found himself answering, "Very well, if you wish. But the tale is a long one." He glanced back at her and she shifted her weight, making rather a show of getting comfortable, then raised her eyebrows encouragingly. Rumplestiltskin turned back to his spinning, and began, "Once there was a poor spinner, and he had a son he loved more than life itself."
She listened while he told his story, though he kept his eyes on his task of spinning ever more straw into gold as he spoke. It was easy, far easier than he'd imagined it could be, to tell her about himself, about the Ogre Wars that crippled him, about the wife who despised and abandoned him and their son, the boy who he would eventually lose despite his best attempts to save him, and the powerful curse he took on as a way to overcome everything life had thrown at him. When he felt her head resting gently on his shoulder, he had to pause for a second before he could continue speaking.
Belle didn't move at first when he came to a stop. His story didn't exactly end happily, though of course one might say his story was still being told. But the silence between them was companionable, and leaning against him was more pleasant than she could explain. She felt him sigh and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me all that," she murmured. He didn't say anything, but he surprised her by leaning his head on hers. She was overwhelmed with the desire to do something, to bring him closer, but she didn't know how. Her frustration built until a strange sensation pulsed through her body, from her claws up to her head, and she started. She broke away from him and flapped her wings, agitated.
"What's wrong, Belle?" Rumple asked, but she couldn't answer. She left her perch and hovered, trying to rid herself of the feeling, when all of a sudden it peaked and she felt as though a rush of flame went through her. Belle shook her head vigorously, thankful that whatever that was had passed, and looked back at him with relief, but before she even registered the astonished look on his face, she realized that something very strange had happened.
Belle looked down at the floor, where she was standing on what looked like perfectly human feet. Her talons had been replaced with toes. She held up a pair of human hands with delicate fingers, and gazed wonderingly at the rest of her body, which had quite unexpectedly shifted into a human one.
"I suppose you do have magic after all," Rumple observed, his eyes wide.
Belle let out a delighted laugh, and without quite knowing what she was doing, she threw her arms around him. Yes, she realized, this was what she had wanted to do. His hands rested tentatively on her hips, and after a long moment, he cleared his throat. She pulled back and his hands were instantly off of her. Head tilted slightly, she furrowed her brows. "What is it?"
He looked more uncomfortable than she'd ever seen him, and she was worried at first, but then he said, "Belle, you haven't got any clothes on." She looked down at herself. She was indeed naked, though she didn't quite understand why he was making a fuss. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before holding out an empty hand. A small cloud of smoke appeared over his hand only to reveal a plain blue dress. "Here, put this on."
Belle took it, and worked it out rather well, she thought, for someone who had never worn clothing before. Once it was on her, Rumple seemed to relax a bit. "Why does it matter that I had no clothes on? I've never had clothes on before, it's never seemed to upset you."
"With that body, you must wear clothes, that's all."
She instinctively crossed her arms, half of her mind appreciating the sensations, the other half trying to sort out the nonsense he was spouting. "That's not an answer."
"Humans, and creatures that are...similarly constructed, like me, wear clothes. It's considered indecent to go without."
Belle rolled her eyes. "Seems a bit silly, if you ask me. But if it makes you feel better, then I'll keep the clothes on." He didn't say anything, but something in his gaze gave her an odd feeling just below her stomach. It seemed she had quite a lot to learn about this new body. "Well, now I've got feet, why don't we walk a bit?"
It seemed such a short time ago that Rumplestiltskin would have been fascinated to learn that the harpy could shapeshift. Now, the fact of it merely drove him to distraction. In her regular form, Belle was quite lovely. In her human form, she was exquisite. Completely ridiculous that someone who'd spent countless years with talons should be so graceful on legs. Insane that her form should be so comely. And it was ludicrous that he, the Dark One, should be so captivated by her. He couldn't help but suspect she knew the effect she was having on him, judging by how often she wanted to 'practice' shifting from form to form. She seemed to conveniently forget about her clothing when she did this, and it would inevitably be shredded when she changed from human to harpy, leaving her completely naked when she would shift back, always with that smile.
It didn't help that she was fascinated with touching everything, including him. Her hands were never still, determined to feel everything; her own hair, tables, the clothes she wore, the walls, trees, his clothes. He nearly started purring the first time she ran her fingers through his hair, wanting nothing more than to curl up with her and let her do that for hours.
Needless to say, it was a delicate situation, and it came to a head one afternoon when he was spinning.
Belle had been sitting beside him, going back and forth between the straw and the gold he had made, marveling at the textures, when she started touching him again. First his hair, then the collar of his shirt. He attempted to ignore her, to keep his mind on his task, but he was acutely aware of her gentle fingers. When she caressed the back of his neck, he froze.
She stopped moving but didn't remove her hand. "What's wrong, Rumple?"
"Belle," he said firmly, "You mustn't keep doing that."
"Why not? Does it not feel nice?"
Gods damn him, he couldn't look at her as he replied, "It feels extremely nice, that's why you must stop."
Her brow furrowed and she pulled back with her hands in her lap. "That makes no sense. If it feels nice -"
"You don't understand how those kind of touches can affect a man, Belle."
"Then explain it to me. Please."
Rumplestiltskin growled, not in anger but rather frustration. How could he possibly tell her all that was happening in his head? He looked at her quizzical expression and had a crazy thought. Before he could lose his nerve, he reached over and gently cupped her cheek. Slowly he ran his fingers down her jawline to her throat, daring to run a claw over the skin at her collarbone. When she took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, he drew back. "What did that make you feel?"
She opened her eyes and gazed at him with an expression he'd never seen before. "It makes me feel like...I'm not sure. I feel like this body makes its own decisions and my mind is half a step behind it. I want...I want to do this." Belle leaned over and pressed her lips to his, cautiously.
He was too surprised to respond, and she pulled out of the kiss quickly. "Yes, that was it," she said, "That was what you touching me made me feel. But, more? I want more. Rumple?"
He couldn't deny the tone of her voice, so he took her face in his hands and drew her to him, kissing her softly. She made a small sound of pleasure in the back of her throat and laid her hands on his knees. His fingers slid to the back of her head, tangling in her hair. He softly ran his tongue along her lips, only a little surprised when she opened her mouth for him.
They kissed for a time, and when Belle's hands tightened on his legs, he pulled back, taking her hands in his own and gazing at her earnestly. "What do you feel now, Belle?" he whispered.
She looked down at their hands and drew a shaky breath. "I feel like I've been half dozing and now I'm wide awake," she replied. "I feel like I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time." She met his eyes and the look he saw there made his blood boil. "I feel as though I'll die unless you keep touching me."
Rumplestiltskin stood, pulling her with him and wrapping an arm around her waist. He waved a hand and a cloud of smoke enveloped them. When it cleared, they were in his bed chamber.
Belle gasped slightly, shock on her face. "Rumple, your magic worked on me."
He filed that away, his arm tightening around her as his other hand held her chin. "That's something to think on later," he said, bringing his mouth to hers. Belle's arms encircled him and she clung to him as they kissed with an intensity that took them both by surprise.
"Rumple," Belle murmured against his lips, her hands plucking at his shirt. "I want…" She made a small sound of frustration at her inability to voice whatever it was.
Rumplestiltskin shushed her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's alright, sweetheart," he said. "I think I know what it is you want." He grasped her shoulders and looked at her, his face abruptly very serious. "But you must promise to stop me if you become uncomfortable, alright?"
She nodded, her smile making his heart swell. He slid his hands down her sides, over her hips, and gathered her skirt in his fists. He raised it slowly, and she lifted her arms as he slipped the garment over her head and tossed it to the floor. She wore nothing beneath, as he'd already known, what with her frequent bouts of shapeshifting induced nudity, but seeing her completely nude in his bed chamber set him aflame with desire. For a moment, he just stared at her as he hadn't allowed himself before. "You're so beautiful, Belle," he said reverently.
Belle glanced down shyly before reaching for him. She placed her hands at his waist and raised an eyebrow. "Your clothes seem more complicated than mine," she said. She spent a minute working his waistcoat off before pulling his shirt free from his pants and sliding her hands beneath it. His eyes fluttered shut as she ran her fingers up his chest, pulling the shirt up and finally over his head. When he opened his eyes her hands were still, palms flat against his chest, and she was taking a moment to look at him. "You're rather beautiful too, Rumple," she said with a grin.
He couldn't help a small snort of amusement that turned into a gasp when she pressed her mouth to the hollow of his throat. She kissed across his collarbone, over to his shoulder, while her hands made their way down to the top of his pants. She pulled back and look down the length of his legs to his boots, and gave him a look of exasperation. He chuckled and snapped his fingers, causing the boots to vanish. Belle sighed with relief and went back to laying kisses on his chest while her fingers unlaced his pants. Slowly she pulled them down, her mouth traveling dangerously lower as she got them off of him.
When he was naked before her he looked down and saw her kneeling, looking up at him with desire in his eyes, he was nearly undone. Her gaze seemed to have a physical touch as it slid down his body and stopped at his firm erection. She took it cautiously in one hand and he groaned, trying to keep his knees from buckling. Belle glanced up at him and he touched her cheek reassuringly. She leaned into his touch as her hand slid down the length of him. The sounds he made encouraged her to slide her hand back to the head of his cock, and then down again, back and forth and back and forth, when finally he reached down and pulled her to her feet, kissing her fiercely.
Belle was gasping for breath when he pulled back just enough to growl, "If you kept that up, this would be over far too soon." In a swift motion, he picked her up and carried her the few steps to his bed, laying her down gently and setting himself over her. He kissed her again, softer now, his tongue pressing gently against her lips and lightly caressing hers when she opened for him. Slowly he made his way to her neck, running his tongue over her skin, nipping lightly at her ear before moving down her collarbone. With one hand he cupped her breast, barely squeezing when she arched against him. His mouth kept moving steadily down her body, stopping to flick his tongue over her peaked nipple, nibbling his way down her stomach and across her hips, when he settled himself between her legs.
Rumplestiltskin paused and looked back up at her. Belle was breathing heavily, her head back against the pillows. When he didn't move she lifted her head and gazed down at him. "You're alright?" he murmured.
"Rumple," she whispered, "If you don't carry on with whatever it is you're going to do, I will scream."
He growled with delight, sliding his arms beneath her legs and lowering his mouth to her. His tongue deftly swept through her folds, finding her most sensitive spot. Belle let out a moan and her back arched as the pleasure of it swept over her. Her hands scrabbled at the bedding, her hips tried to move but Rumple held her fast, his tongue relentlessly moving. It was beyond anything she'd ever experienced, she didn't know what was going to happen as the sensations built and built but she never wanted it to stop, would let him keep going until she burst.
And it felt like she had burst when, with a final firm stroke of his tongue, Belle's orgasm tore through her. She felt as though her skin had split, as if there was a fire inside her roaring over every part of her and all she could do was ride the wave of it, cries of ecstasy coming from her mouth.
When she finally could make sense of the world around her again, Rumplestiltskin was no longer between her legs, but beside her, his arms around her as he cradled her against his chest. Belle was panting, trying to get her breath back, and she looked up at him, her heart aching with joy at what she saw in his face. She raised a shaky hand and laid it on his cheek. She had enough air to whisper, "I love you." She didn't know how she knew, but she was certain that's what was in his eyes as he gazed at her. And she knew it was what she felt every time she looked at him.
Rumple pulled her to him again, kissing her head a few times before mumbling into her hair, "I love you too."
They lay there for a time, just holding onto each other, when suddenly Belle pulled back again. She looked at him, and then glanced down pointedly. He followed the look and seemed almost embarrassed at his still hard cock. Belle smiled a bit and asked, "Is there something to be done about that?"
Rumplestiltskin had to shake his head a little, but he said, "Yes, if you're comfortable, there is."
Belle responded by kissing him soundly. He rolled them so she was again lying beneath him, and he paused for the slightest moment before sliding into her. She moaned softly, and he held still, letting her envelope him, almost feeling as though something had clicked into place within himself. They gazed into each other's eyes, and then he moved.
Belle clutched at his shoulders, small sounds escaping her mouth, her legs wrapping around him as if to pull him even deeper into her. Rumplestiltskin kept his rhythm steady, lowering his mouth to hers, devouring the noises she made. He moved faster, sliding his arms under her and moving his face to her neck. He growled, his mouth seeking the spot on her neck where he could feel her pulse racing and biting down. She cried out, her hands tangling in his hair, and she came again. Feeling her orgasm tossed him over the edge, and he trembled, moaning out her name as he spilled into her.
They lay tangled in each other for some time, panting and coming back down to earth, when Rumple managed to roll himself off her. It was another long minute before she pushed herself to her side and threw an arm over him. He shifted enough to wrap an arm around her and tuck her into his side, her head on his chest.
"That was...something," she said quietly, causing him to laugh.
"Indeed," he replied, running his fingers up and down her arm. "Something good, I take it?"
"Very good," she said, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
"I'm glad," he told her, kissing the top of her head.
"Rumple?"
"What is it, Belle?" he asked with concern, for her voice sounded almost meek.
"I don't want to go back to my nest. I don't want to be alone anymore."
He touched her chin and gently tilted her head back so he could meet her eyes. "Then stay," he said fervently. "Stay here as long as you like."
"Forever?"
Rumplestiltskin smiled and brushed her hair back. "If that's what you want, then forever it is."
To think he'd once found the smile she gave him insufferable. It was radiant, and he felt his heart swell at the sight of it. She kissed him and then snuggled back into his chest. "I look forward to forever with you, Rumple." She sighed contentedly. "I love you."
Rumplestiltskin hugged Belle tightly, saying, "And I love you too."