Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time. They belong to the show's creators and ABC.
A/N: SONG FICS! That's about all there is to say. LOL. Random and completely awesome…ever going so I don't know if I'm going to put it under the complete category just yet. I hope you enjoy.
Title: What The Hell?
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Angst
Summary: Mr. Gold is a bit perturbed at the actions of one little librarian. She's taunting him and it's become maddening.
Song: What the Hell by Avril Lavigne
You say that I'm messin' with your head (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
All 'cause I was making out with your friend (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Love hurts whether it's right or wrong (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I can't stop 'cause I'm having too much fun (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Mr. Gold walked into Granny's Diner, as per his normal morning routine, taking his usual booth near the window. Setting his cane beside him he pulled out the glossy menu from behind the napkin dispenser and glanced it over. He always ordered the same thing, but nevertheless he always looked at the menu. When Ruby came around to pour him a cup of coffee she left with the promise to return with his veggie omelet. He unfolded his paper, not really caring about the news inside, but it gave him something to do. He had just about finished a measly little article that Sidney Glass had written when he heard the laugh, her laugh.
Flipping down the corner of the paper he spied the town's librarian, Isabelle French, sitting at a table with the school's gym teacher, Franklin Walker. They were chatting lightly, laughing at some inside joke. This wouldn't bother him at all, but then she reached out and touched his forearm. As she did this her blue eyes seemed to find his, an impish little glint dancing behind them. Gold sneered and snapped his paper back up, blocking her from view. Just because he blocked her, didn't mean he still wasn't aware of her presence. Her laugh rang out through the nearly empty diner, echoing in his ears with a painful bounce.
Thankfully Ruby returned with his breakfast, setting it down in front of him before walking away. Gold set down his paper, folding it neatly, before tucking into his omelet. He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he glanced up, catching her blue eyed gaze smirking at him again. Franklin had disappeared, probably to pay the bill, leaving her sitting there alone to stare at the pawn broker. Gold stared at her with a steely gaze before turning back to his breakfast. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of jealousy. He heard the sound of her chair scraping across the floor, not bothering to look up as she walked past. He didn't even acknowledge when her hand ran up his arm, well to the best of his ability that is.
His resolve broke and he found himself turning around to stare at the counter. She stood next to Franklin, that warm and infectious smile on her face as she said something. Gold stiffened slightly when she grabbed Franklin's arm, squeezing it slightly before dropping it again. They walked out of the diner and the pawn broker turned back to his breakfast, his eyes wandering to stare out the window. She was walking down the street with her arm looped through the gym teacher's.
You're on your knees, beggin' please "stay with me"
But honestly, I just need to be a little crazy
Isabelle French, Izzy to her friends, but Belle to just one special person (and that wasn't even her father) wanted nothing more than to laugh as she walked down the street towards the library. She nearly had a skip in her step as she bounded up the small stair case leading to the doors. She had had a wonderful breakfast with Franklin Walker, the gym teacher at Storybrooke Academy. She had been really flirty, but that hadn't been for the benefit of the blonde haired, well-toned, and slightly shy man she had dined with. No, it had been for the benefit of a certain pawn broker, whom she knew she left a bit perturbed and annoyed. Oh, it was going to be a good day.
All my life I've been good but now (ooohhhh)
I'm thinking "what the hell?"
All I want is to mess around, and I don't really care about
If you love me, if you hate me
You can't save me, baby, baby
All my life I've been good but now (whoa) "what the hell?"
Gold walked down the street towards his pawnshop, stopping outside the library. He glared up at the towering building as though it could provide him the satisfaction of wiping that cruel smirk from her face, that smirk that seemed to be plaguing his thoughts. He tried to think of what had actually caused this behavior to begin. He couldn't remember exactly. He just knew that Belle, his sweet, book worm, and clumsy Belle, had been flouncing around Storybrooke on the arm of several different men. It, in a matter of speaking, annoyed the living piss out of him.
He could confront her, yeah, demand why the hell she was acting like this. Before Gold could talk himself out of the idea and rush to the seclusion of his pawn shop, he walked up the steps and pushed open the door to the library. He was met by the slightly stale smell of paper and perhaps the lingering scent of knowledge (if such a thing existed). At first he didn't see the russet haired beauty. The library stood empty, so she had to be somewhere. Walking down a few rows of shelves he found her standing on a ladder, a book cracked open as she stared down at the pages before her, eyes flitting about quickly as she read. She didn't seem to notice him. She wouldn't with her nose stuck in a book, so he cleared his throat.
Her head snapped up, causing a few curls to bounce about her shoulders. "What?"
That one little word invoked an impossible anger in him. How dare she? "What? What?" His voice came out angry and he watched her snap the book closed before placing it on the shelf and climbing down the ladder.
She stood before him, blue eyes staring curiously. They widened when he grabbed her arm, tugging her from the stacks. "What the hell?"
Gold stopped them in front of the large, curved desk. "This behavior has got to stop Belle."
She smiled impishly at him and he sneered. "Behavior, my behavior is making you mad?" She pulled her arm from his grasp. "Now why would that be Mr. Gold? I haven't the foggiest idea why the town tyrant cares about whom I spend my time with." He didn't respond and she turned back towards the stack he pulled her from. "When you come up with a good response, you know where to find me."
So what if I go out on a million dates? (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
You never call or listen to me anyway (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'd rather rage than sit around and wait all day (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Don't get me wrong, I just need some time to play (yeah)
Mr. Gold spent the rest of his day seething in his office or behind the front counter when he had a customer. Needless to say his behavior cost him a couple of good sales, but it didn't matter. He didn't need to make any sales, owning this business was just a hobby. He left at five, shutting up the shop and heading towards Granny's Diner for a small dinner before going home. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her walking into the diner with yet another date. She seemed to sense him and turned around to give him a wicked grin before following her date through the door.
Gold fumed as he spun on his heel and stormed off towards the Golden Dragon Pub. He needed a drink, maybe a couple. Upon entering the pub he stormed over to the counter, ignoring the alarmed look of Lee, the bartender, as he sat down. The dark haired man wiped a glass as he stared at the pawn broker for a moment before grabbing a bottle of their best Scotch Whiskey. He poured the pawn broker a generous glass watching as the man downed the contents in one go. He poured another before walking off. He really didn't want to be around to deal with a drunken Mr. Gold.
You're on your knees, beggin' please "stay with me"
But honestly, I just need to be a little crazy (crazy!)
All my life I've been good but now
I'm thinking "what the hell?"
All I want is to mess around, and I don't really care about
If you love me, if you hate me
You can't save me, baby, baby
All my life I've been good but now (whoa) "what the hell?"
Mr. Gold stumbled into his house, having drunk more than he originally intended. It was a miracle that he managed to get the key in the lock. He stared into the darkness of the hallway, an empty feeling swarming about him. Why did the house feel so empty? Now in his liquor ridden mind, he sort of remembered what had caused this entire situation he found himself in.
They had been going about it for months, behind everyone's backs…most specifically her father's. When he had mentioned this she told him that she was twenty-four years old and could do what she damn well pleased. He had laughed at that, toying with the mess of curls that hung over her shoulder. It was a secret that they could both live with, for the time being.
It was nearing Valentine's Day when she said something. "Are you taking me out to dinner?"
"What do you mean, Belle?" She gave him a glowering look and he understood. "I thought we could have a nice dinner here."
She sighed and got out of the bed, leaving him to stare at her as she donned one of his many silk shirts. "I'm tired of this." Her blue eyes stared at him. "I'm tired of hiding everything because you're afraid of what everyone else will think. I'm tired of knowing that I only got this emotion out of you just recently because you finally got off your high horse." He started to say something but she stopped him. "Don't you dare say 'it doesn't matter here.' It matters, believe me." She pulled on her jeans and her shoes. "Now, until you can finally man up completely and truly acknowledge this…whatever this is we have going here, I'm going to be on my merry way, Rumpelstiltskin." He winced when she said his name in that scolding tone.
She had left him there, laying in his bed watching as she left wearing his shirt, his red silk shirt, his favorite shirt. It had been a whole week before she started the "dating game." She was trying to draw him out, get a rise out of him so she could get what she wanted. He knew deep down that she wasn't doing anything with these, these boys (for that is what they were) just merely flirting with them. He knew that she was trying to get him to storm over to her, either punch her date in the face, or sweep her into a passionate lip lock. His will power had prevented him to do so for weeks now, he wasn't going to let her win this little game they had begun, but that will power had slowly began to fade away.
Groping a hand against the wall for steadiness, Gold made his way towards the stairs so he could sleep off his drink. Not bothering with changing clothes, just merely shucking off his suit jacket, tie, and shoes, he slumped down on the bed. The moment that his head hit the pillow he resolved that he would fix this entire situation.
You say that I'm messing with your head (la, la, la, la, la)
Boy, I like messing in your bed (la, la, la, la, la)
Yeah, I am messing with your head
When I'm messing with you in bed
He found her waiting for him outside of Granny's Diner. She had a book open in front of her as she sat on a bench. At first he was simply going to into the diner, ignore her, maybe feed her some of her own medicine by flirting with Ruby (but that would probably scar the poor waitress for life). No, instead he sat down on the bench next to her in a huff, hands curled tightly about the handle of his cane.
"Good morning, Mr. Gold." She didn't look up from her book as she spoke. "It's a lovely day isn't it?"
Gold looked over at her, taking notice that she was wearing his shirt. Impish, malicious, and beautiful creature she was. He wondered how many people had noticed her new attire, wondered how she managed to get the beast's clothes, a Laundromat mishap could be the answer. He knew better. This was the home stretch of their little game. She had donned the red, silk shirt because she knew she was winning. She had worn him down with her behavior, forced him to drink his problems away and go to bed really drunk only to wake up with the worst hangover he had felt in centuries. She, this little innocent looking librarian, was far more evil that Rumpelstiltskin could ever strive to be.
"Do you have something to say to me, Mr. Gold, or are you simply going to stare at me until I leave?" She still hasn't looked up from her book. "I have a rather busy day ahead of me. I thought I'd have lunch with Gregory Duvall, and then maybe dinner with Dr. Whale…he seems like he knows how to treat a lady."
It was the last straw. He couldn't take it anymore. Gold snatched the book out of her grasp causing her to finally meet his glowering gaze. Any other person would have a look of fear on their face as they stared upon the extremely pissed off pawnbroker, not her though. Belle had always stared into the face of fear and laugh while others would merely piss themselves. Sure there were things that scared her to no end, but Mr. Gold wasn't one of them. She had never been scared of him, not even when he joked about her skinning the children he hunted for their pelts. Right now she smiled sweetly as he gave her a look that could kill.
"You seem upset, Mr. Gold." Her voice came out in an even tone, even though he could see her chest heaving slightly with her quickened breath. "Perhaps you should go have a nice cup of tea, calm down a bit."
He chuckled wryly. "Oh I'm calm, Ms. French." He leaned in closer and watched as her eyes fell to his lips for a mere second before snapping back up to stare at him. "I'm so very calm, that I could just get up and walk away. Go have some breakfast, go to my shop maybe take a detour in the park." She could tell that he was trying to avoid the inevitable.
Belle gave him a challenging look. "That's only going to prolong your little problem now isn't it?" Gold sneered. "I don't think Dr. Whale will do…no, I think I'll go further than that and ask Gregory out to dinner, too. You know how much he's been dying to take me out on a date. Who knows maybe I'll discover something I like about the ape."
Gold growled something unintelligible that could have been 'mine' as he grabbed the back of her neck and crashed her mouth against his. Her hands gripped the lapels of his suit jacket as she smiled against his lips. He deepened the kiss, trying to make sure that everyone watching from the windows of the diner would come to the conclusion that Belle was completely off limits to any man, other than himself. When they pulled apart, he was met with that impish look of hers, that she had acquired from months and months of living with him in another lifetime.
"That wasn't so hard now was it?" She stood from the bench book in one hand, the other outstretched for him to take. "Now be the good gentleman and walk me to work."
Gold let out a heavy sigh as he stood, taking her offered hand and leading them down the street away from the prying eyes of the diner patrons. She could be infuriating at times, intriguing at others, but she would never stop being Belle, his Belle. The one person that the universe decided to create to give the beast a glimpse of true happiness even if he didn't think he deserved as much.
All my life I've been good but now (ooohhh)
I'm thinking "what the hell"
All I want is to mess around, and I don't really care about
All my life I've been good but now (ooohhh)
I'm thinking "what the hell"
All I want is to mess around, and I don't really care about
If you love me, if you hate me
You can't save me, baby, and baby
All my life I've been good but now (whoa) "what the hell?"