A slightly belated Valentine's Day gift for you . . . . . enjoy!
I do not own 'Once Upon a Time.'
Dinner Date
"What do you think they see in each other?" Gold asked as he and Belle sat on the park bench watching Stewart and Sophie play. He was back to wearing his three-piece suit once again.
"Haven't you heard the phrase 'opposites attract'?" Belle asked.
"That isn't opposite, that's – ridiculous." Gold said.
"Why?" Belle asked. "Their personalities click somehow, and they both spotted that instantly. You can't help who you're attracted to. Besides . . . beauty is skin deep, right? It's what's on the inside that counts. I know that Sophie is a bit awkward and different, but – that's part of what made me love her. She's a beautiful soul, very kind and gentle. No one else wanted her, did you know that? I was volunteering at the shelter, and she'd been there for nearly a month. She was the sweetest thing, but no one that came there looking to adopt would even give her a second look. Some of the volunteers were afraid to play with her because she looked so big and scary but she wasn't like that at all. She just wanted someone to love her. Anyhow – no one had claimed her and no one wanted her and I didn't want her to be – you know. So I decided to adopt her."
"Well, apparently Stewart sees things as you do." Gold said.
"And you don't see past what's visible? Why not?" Belle asked.
"Never had much of a reason to." Gold said. "Things – and people – tend to be just as they appear to be in my experience."
"I don't think that's true at all." Belle said. "I've been hearing things about you, Ronan. I try not to listen to that sort of gossip but people have seen us together and they tell me things."
"What things?" Gold asked.
"Oh – it's nothing really. Nothing I believe." Belle said.
"Well, you can't just leave it at that. Tell me." Gold insisted.
"Just that you – you have a lot of money and power in this town and you got that by being ruthless." Belle said. Gold chuckled a bit.
"That's it?" Gold asked. "I honestly expected worse."
"Well, most people said you're – a bit of a beast." Belle admitted. "But I just don't see that. I mean – you obviously love Stewart very much, you take wonderful care of him. And your son – he loves you and I can see that he's everything to you. If you were a beast – none of that would be true." Gold didn't say a word in reply. "I um – I have a confession to make. About when I came into your shop a couple weeks ago."
"Did you break something else and not tell me?" Gold asked, and Belle smiled.
"No, nothing like that. I just – I didn't come to see your shop. I came to talk – about – what happened that day the young man came here with his beagle. I mean – after he left." Belle said.
"You don't have to talk about that, I know why you did it." Gold said.
"Do you?" Belle asked.
"I am not immune to understanding that I am, in fact, the butt of quite a few practical jokes in this town. Don't flatter yourself to think that you're the first to try and taunt me in order to get a reaction. You're not." Gold said.
"Taunt you? I – I kissed you because I wanted to." Belle said. "I like you, Ronan."
"Nobody likes me except for my son and Stewart." Gold said.
"And me." Belle replied. "I thought maybe you – felt the same way. I guess I was wrong." Belle stood up, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I should probably go. Sophie! Come on sweetheart, we're going home!" Belle called out. Both dogs came running toward them. Belle clipped the leash onto Sophie's collar. "See you next week." Belle said quietly. Gold hesitated for a moment as Belle and Sophie started to walk away.
"Belle, wait!" Gold called out when she was halfway to the gate. Belle stopped and turned around, and Gold put Stewart on his leash and walked toward her. "Would you like to have dinner this week?"
"You mean like – a date?" Belle asked.
"I mean dinner." Gold said. "I presume you do eat dinner." Belle smiled.
"Usually." she replied.
"Also – the dogs probably would like to see each other more than once a week, so – this would probably be nice for them." Gold said nervously.
"Is this a date for us or for the dogs?" Belle asked.
"It's not a date. It's just dinner." Gold said. "At my place. I'll cook. Is there anything particular you like or don't like?"
"No, I – I'm sure I'll like whatever you make." Belle said. "Would you like me to bring anything? Dessert, perhaps?"
"That'd be fine." Gold said. "I would say that I'm a bit nervous about your enormous animal traipsing through my house and breaking something, but – I would venture that I should be more concerned about you doing so, given your track record."
"I'll be very careful. I won't touch a thing in your house." Belle teased, and Gold blushed a bit.
"Is Wednesday good for you?" Gold asked.
"Perfect, I get off work early on Wednesday." Belle said.
"Well then – I will text you my address and – I'll see you and Sophie at – let's say six on Wednesday?" Gold asked.
"Oh, we'll be there." Belle said.
"Good. Stewart will enjoy a mid-week visit with Sophie." Gold said. "And um – well, I'll see you then."
"See you then. Goodbye Ronan." Belle said, and she turned and walked off with Sophie. Stewart looked up Gold, and he almost looked as if he were smiling at him.
"It's dinner." Gold insisted. "Two people having a meal together." Stewart continued to look at him, and he wagged his tail a bit. "You know, I'm doing this for you and that gigantic horse that you seem to think is your true love. Why couldn't you become enamored with a shih tzu or another little terrier or something a bit more suitable? The two of you look absolutely ridiculous together. Come on, let's go home." Gold led Stewart to the exit and the little dog walked alongside him with a look of pure joy on his face.
"Well, what do you think?" Gold asked as he put the final touches on the dining room table. He had it set to perfection, including two candles in the center and a bottle of champagne chilling next to them. Gold's outfit, however, was a bit different than usual – he was wearing jeans and a white button-down shirt. He had gone shopping the day before, wanting to prove to Belle that he was not, in fact, as 'tightly wound' as she thought. He wasn't sure why it bothered him that she thought this about him – but it did. Stewart let out a bark of approval as Gold set up a little corner in the dining room for the two dogs. He had also purchased an extra bowl for Sophie and had prepared a special meal for the dogs as well. Suddenly he heard a loud, deep bark coming from outside at the front door. Gold made his way to the door, with Stewart following behind him. When Gold opened the door, Sophie was standing there, and he could see Belle making her way up the steps carrying a dessert plate. She was wearing a dress and a pair of what Gold thought to be ridiculously high heels. Stewart greeted Sophie happily, and led her into the house.
"Do you need some help?" Gold asked as Belle neared the front porch.
"No, I'm fine." Belle said. Gold wasn't sure whether to reach for her hand or for the dessert she was carrying when Belle finally reached him. He opted for the dessert.
"I'll take that." Gold said. "Come on in. I have quite a few throw rugs so – don't trip." Belle smirked a bit as she entered the house. Gold took the plate into the kitchen as Belle just stood in the foyer and looked around.
"This place is huge!" Belle shouted. "And it's just you, all alone in this big house."
"Not alone – I do have Stewart. And Bae, when he's here." Gold said. Belle finally looked him up and down.
"What's all this?" Belle asked. "Jeans? A less than formal shirt?"
"Yes, well – thought I'd try something different. And apparently – you did as well." Gold said. "Never seen you so dressed up. A bit impractical, don't you think? How do you maneuver the dog in those shoes?"
"Oh, Sophie is very good on voice command, I don't worry about her unless we're in a busy place. Plus when we pulled up I told her Stewart lived here and she darted toward the door like a bullet. And as for the dress – you're right, I thought I'd try something different, too." Belle told him.
"Well, I'm just impressed that you were able to manage my steps in those." Gold said, and Belle just smiled at him.
"You look very nice, by the way. I like the jeans." Belle said.
"Only reason I wore them was so that you'll stop badgering me about it." Gold said. "So, shall we – go have our dinner?"
"Of course. Oh, I left Sophie's food in the car." Belle said.
"It's no matter – I made something special for Sophie and Stewart. That is, after all, the reason we're doing this, right?" Gold asked.
"Yes, of course it is." Belle said. Gold led Belle into the dining room and she sat down and watched as Gold set out the food for the dogs, then brought out their dinner.
"This is really nice, Ronan. Thank you." Belle said as they were finishing their dinner, after a significant amount of time spent in awkward silence.
"Well – Stewart is quite happy to have Sophie here." Gold said.
"I meant – for us." Belle said. Gold remained quiet. "So – your house – why is it pink?"
"It's – salmon, actually." Gold said.
"Alright – why is it salmon then?" Belle asked.
"You'd have to ask my ex-wife that, she's the one that arranged for all of the interior and exterior design." Gold said.
"Well, why haven't you had it changed then?" Belle asked.
"I have far better things to spend my money on than the outward appearance of this house." Gold said.
"Well, I don't know how you keep this place up. I can barely manage my little house and you've seen how small it is. I vacuum twice a week and I swear it's nothing but dog hair." Belle said.
"Yes, well – Scotties don't really shed all that much. And I have a girl that comes in once a week to clean." Gold said. "So – are we going to have dessert?"
"Everything was so wonderful, I don't know if I have room for dessert." Belle admitted.
"There's always room for dessert. How about you take the dogs outside, I have a nice fenced-in backyard, Stewart will lead you there. I'll clear the table and get things ready and we can sit in the living room and chat a bit. Would you like some tea with dessert?" Gold asked.
"That would be fine, thank you." Belle said.
"Stewart? Want to go out?" Gold asked, and Stewart barked. "Show Belle outside. Go on." Stewart darted out of the room, and Belle and Sophie followed him. When she came back in, she made her way into the living room, where Gold was waiting on the sofa with a piece of cake and a cup of tea for each of them.
"You have a lovely backyard. Mine is so small, I wish I had more space for Sophie." Belle said. She sat down next to him, leaving a fair amount of space between herself and Gold.
"Well . . . . perhaps you should come over more often. With Sophie, I mean." Gold said, and Belle smiled at him. "Cake looks delicious."
"It's cherry cake." Belle said. "Always been one of my favorites." The two of them sat in awkward silence once again, and during their period of silence, Stewart and Sophie made their way over to them and sat at the foot of the sofa. Belle picked up her teacup and took a sip. "This is good tea. Is it from Scotland?"
"Yes, I have it shipped here." Gold said.
"I'd love to have some of my favorite foods from Australia shipped here." Belle said.
"There's an Outback Steakhouse a few towns over." Gold remarked, and Belle made a face at him.
"Very funny." Belle said. "So – what made you come here anyway?"
"To the states or to Storybrooke?" Gold asked.
"Either. Or both." Belle replied.
"Well, I came to the states to teach." Gold said.
"Really? Teach what?" Belle asked. Gold was quiet for a moment. "Oh, come on, tell me." Gold sighed.
"When I was a younger man – I always wanted to see the states and – I applied for a teaching position in New York at – an art school." he said, mumbling the last words under his breath.
"I'm sorry – did you just say an art school?" Belle asked.
"Would you like some more tea?" Gold asked, obviously trying to change the subject.
"Don't change the subject. You said art school. You're an artist?" Belle asked.
"I um – I'm a craftsman. That right there – that's what I do." Gold said, and he looked off into the corner, where a spinning wheel sat.
"A spinning wheel? You know how to work that?" Belle asked.
"Where do you think all my throw rugs come from?" Gold asked.
"You made them?" Belle asked.
"I've made many things." Gold said.
"Alright, so – how did you end up here then? In Storybrooke?" Belle asked.
"Yes – that. While I was working at said art school, I met my now ex-wife. She was a student there. This is her hometown. She somehow convinced me that this would be a nice place to settle, said she preferred a quiet life. Very ironic when I look back. Now she's living it up on my dime in Boston with her useless boyfriend and she has primary custody of our son. And here I am." Gold said.
"Well, I'm sure quite a bit happened between then and now." Belle said.
"Indeed." Gold replied. Belle sensed he wasn't very keen on discussing the matter any further. Gold reached to take a sip of his tea, and when he picked up his teacup she noticed that it was the one she had chipped in his shop.
"You kept it?" Belle asked.
"Kept what?" Gold asked.
"The cup. The one I broke." Belle said.
"I told you I was keeping the tea set." Gold said.
"Yes, but – I didn't think you'd keep the broken one." Belle said.
"It's just a little chip. Like you said – you can barely see it." Gold said. Another moment of awkward silence came over them as they finished their tea and desserts.
"Well – thank you for dinner, Ronan. It was very nice." Belle said, and she moved to stand up. The moment she did, Sophie, who had been sitting with Stewart being very quiet, stood up as well and started to bark loudly. "Sophie – what is wrong with you?"
"I can see you out – don't want you to trip in those ridiculous heels." Gold said, and the moment he stood up, Stewart began to bark. Both dogs were barking furiously at them, deliberately blocking them in and not letting either of them move. "Stewart! Go lie down, you don't act like that!" Gold scolded the dog.
"Sophie, that will be enough!" Belle insisted, but both dogs continued barking. Sophie moved behind Belle and nudged her forward, causing Belle to lose her balance. She fell forward, and Gold dropped his cane and caught her in his arms. "Sophie! What are you doing?" Belle asked as she tried to regain her balance with Gold's help. Gold kept his hand around her waist in order to balance both Belle and himself. The moment that Gold and Belle touched, the dogs stopped barking and sat back down. "I'm sorry about that, she – she's never done anything like that before."
"Neither has Stewart. He never acts out like that, he knows better." Gold said, his arm still around her waist. They looked at one another, and without even thinking they moved their lips close to each other, and they kissed. The kiss lingered for over a minute. It was a soft, gentle kiss; their tongues lightly touched one another and they only pulled away when they needed to stop to take a breath. Both dogs watched them as they kissed, their tails wagging happily.
"I um – I should go. I have – tomorrow – work – I mean – have to work tomorrow." Belle said, stammering over her words.
"Yeah, I – same." Gold said, and he bent down to pick up his cane. "You um – need me to – I mean – see you out?"
"I'm fine." Belle said. "Come on Sophie, we have to go." Belle made her way to the door, and Sophie followed. "You'll be at the park Sunday then?"
"Planning on it." Gold replied.
"Well, thank you and – goodnight." Belle said. Belle and Sophie walked out the door. Both Gold and Belle leaned against either side of the door and sighed once it was closed.