Tumblr has been flooded with awesome mini-fics about young OUAT characters. I couldn't resist. This short Drabble is based off of Marilyn Hotchkiss. It's a mini- but it's not the size that matters, it's what you do with it.


He did not mean to give her a black eye. It was an accident. He wasn't even sure how it happened. He hated playing British Bulldog. Rum's reputation took a hard hit that day, and Belle's Dad wouldn't let him in their home to apologize. Most of the guys in his class were sympathetic to his plight, except for Victor Whale. He congratulated him- what a boner.

His aunt and uncle didn't have cash for the dance lessons, but Rum had been saving money since he was four. He had to borrow his cousin's old suit, but it fit better than most of his hand-me-downs. He shelled out another five dollars for a red rose. Gods, he hoped the plan would work.

Miss Astrid Nova was a flakey bird, giving the assembled group of twelve year olds a windy speech about manners, dancing, and shades of magenta. After her initial gust she focused most of her energy on "demonstrating the proper technique" by slow dancing in a corner with Mr. Leroy, the building's janitor.

Rum was lucky that Belle's name had been pencilled onto his dance card, even if she was number eleven. Mary Margaret was nice enough, although she was clearly terrified. Ruby Lucas growled at him as he repeated, "It was an accident" for the millionth time. Regina just laughed in his face when he asked her for a dance (asking was mandatory).

Rum decided he was done waiting after that. Whale was supposed to be Belle's next partner, but he discovered he had a leg cramp when Rum threatened to tell Miss Nova he had little mirrors on his shoes. He was such a boner.

Belle sat down on one of the folding chairs when she found herself without a partner. Rum had a vivid image of Belle punching him in the face as he slowly approached her.

"May I have the pleasure of this dance, Miss?" Rum was surprised by how deep his voice came out. Asking Belle to dance felt real, not fake like it had with the other girls. He offered her the rose.

Belle hesitated for half a second, "I would love to, kind sir."

With a combination of blackmail, intimidation, and bribery Rum made sure he was Belle's only dance partner for the duration of dance class. He wasn't sure, but he thought two and a half hours of dancing with Belle French really had colored his world in shades of magenta.