Rumplestiltskin knew it was ridiculous, but he'd had an idea. He felt as though he and Belle had been skating around something for some time now, with neither of them certain how to proceed. He felt silly even thinking it, but it seemed the best he could do. For all his swagger, she made him fumble. So he set his daft scheme in motion.
He of course found her in one of the large chairs by the fireplace, reading. She didn't seem to notice his approach, engrossed as she was, so he adopted his most impish attitude and stood before her.
"I need you to paint my face."
Belle looked up from her book and blinked slowly, certain she must have misheard him. "Sorry?"
Rumplestiltskin repeated himself, with exaggerated slowness, "I need you to paint my face." Belle closed her book and simply stared at him for a moment. "I have a deal to attend to today," he went on. "I need something akin to war paint."
"Can't you just…?" Belle snapped her fingers.
"Were that the case, I would," he replied, "but the place I must visit is proof against certain types of magic. The paint would simply fade away as soon as I got there."
"I see," Belle said. "And you're incapable of painting your own face?"
"Well what is the point of having a maid if I don't put you to work every now and again?"
Belle mentally conceded that it had been awhile since he'd saddled her with a meaningless task. She'd gotten quite a lot of reading done.
"So put your book away, dearie!" He said, flapping his hands at her. She couldn't help rolling her eyes just a little. She rose from her chair and placed the book on the little side table.
Rumple waved a hand and they were transported in a cloud of purple to the Dark Castle's kitchen, the table empty but for a few tins of paint. Belle eyed the paints, then looked back at him. "What sort of design do you need?"
"Something ferocious, of course!" He said with a flourish. "My enemies must look upon me and tremble with fear!"
Belle barely suppressed a snort as she turned her back on him and surveyed the paints. It suited him to be feared, but for all his power she knew there was more to him than that. Smiling slightly, she picked out a few colors and faced him again. "Alright, how about some lightning bolts? Is that sufficiently frightening?"
"I suppose it'll do," Rumplestiltskin replied noncommittally.
She started opening tins, her lips pursed. He hadn't provided brushes, so she would have to use her fingers. For fleeting moment she wondered if that was intentional, but pushed the thought away. She wasn't blind to the level of friendship they had reached, but she couldn't quite believe that he would want to go any farther. Giving her head a slight shake, she picked up a tin and turned to the task.
Rumplestiltskin had to keep himself from sighing when she trailed a finger down his face. If all he got out of his ruse was this, it would be enough. He didn't look at her; instead he trained his eyes on a spot just beyond her. He felt that if he looked at her she would certainly see the effect her proximity and touch was having.
Belle, having touched him only briefly before, was somewhat fascinated by his skin, as she had been since she'd first laid eyes on him. It still surprised her how soft his skin was, when it looked so rough. She tried to focus on the paint, drawing a zigzag pattern from his temple down to his chin. She added a matching design on the other side, then grabbed a different color. She traced a small outline around the bolts, then stood back a step.
He still wasn't quite looking at her, and she noticed. A wild idea occurred to her, and she decided to follow through before she could talk herself out of it. She picked up another tin and stepped in close to him, just a bit closer than she had been before. "Close your eyes," she said, her voice a bit softer than she'd intended. Rumplestiltskin's gaze shot to her, so she added, "I'm going to paint over them." She saw his throat bob as he swallowed, but he did as she asked. She drew three paint coated fingers down his forehead and over his closed eyes, then, before she lost her nerve, leaned in and kissed him.
Rumplestiltskin's eyes flew open and he stepped back in shock. Belle just looked at him, and feeling as though he was physically pushing all doubt aside, he came back and laid a gentle hand on her cheek. Her answering smile was radiant, but she didn't give him long to admire it before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. He rested his hands on her waist, subconsciously keeping his body distant from hers, but Belle was having none of that. She pressed herself against him and he let his arms circle her.
Elated and emboldened, Belle softly caressed his lips with her tongue, nearly moaning when he responded in kind. His teeth, sharp but not painful, nibbled at her bottom lip before his tongue slipped into her mouth. Her arms tightened around him as if to pull him right into her.
Rumplestiltskin broke the kiss, only to move his attention to her throat, his mouth hot on her skin. When he bit down on her flesh just beneath her jaw, Belle thought her legs might give out. She clung to him, and he reacted swiftly, surprising her when he lifted her easily and sat her down on the table. He stood at arm's length for a moment, looking at her. She gazed back at him and her breath hitched at the look in his eyes.
"Belle," he said her name softly, reverently, and she grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him to her again. She took her turn trailing kisses over his neck, instinctively spreading her legs a bit so he could stand between them. His hands were in her hair and the feel of him against her like that set her heart pounding.
Rumplestiltskin gently but firmly pulled her head back up and kissed her fiercely, uncertain now how long he could stand the sweet feeling of her. He held his body as still as he could, but she shivered against him and he was certain she could feel his hardness. Feeling like a drowning man trying to get enough air, he broke their kiss and held her face between his hands, pressing his forehead to hers.
As if she knew what he might say, Belle covered his hands with hers and gripped them tightly. "Rumple," she whispered. He met her eyes and she gazed at him, her teeth just barely pulling at her lower lip. He didn't respond with words. Rather, he pulled back just enough to wave one of his hands, and suddenly, they were in his bedchamber. She was still seated and he was still standing, though he took a slight step back as she resettled on the soft surface. Belle watched him, then extended her arms to him. "Come here," she said.
He didn't hesitate, he went to her, going to his knees before the bed so he might embrace her. She wrapped her arms around him and he nuzzled her neck while she stroked his hair. She pressed a kiss to his head before murmuring, "I love you." She felt him sigh, his breath warm on her neck, before he mumbled back.
"I love you."
Then he surprised her again by immediately sinking his teeth into her neck once more. She cried out at the sensation, her hands clenching on his jacket and her legs wrapping around him. He sucked her flesh into his mouth and held it there while she whimpered before releasing her and running his tongue over the spot. He managed to pull himself back far enough to look at her, and his face was as full of impish delight as she'd ever seen it. Her breath was a bit ragged, but she managed to focus and grab him by the hair, jerking his face to hers and sliding her tongue into his mouth. He responded eagerly, and without breaking the kiss she slipped her hands under his jacket and he let it slide off his arms. Suddenly she felt his hands under her skirt, his fingers trailing along her legs. She broke away from him and tugged at his shirt. There was a flicker of something like doubt in his eyes, but she gave the garment another tug and he complied, slipping it over his head and tossing it away.
Half naked in front of her, he couldn't quite look at her at first. She touched his cheek with one hand while the other gently caressed his bare chest. Rumplestiltskin trembled at the touch, a sigh escaping him as he met her eyes. She looked at him with desire, but there was something else in her gaze. "You're a bit beautiful, you know?"
Humor, that's what it was.
Rumplestiltskin huffed. "I've been called many things, but never that."
Belle smiled, both of her hands now wandering over his chest and stomach lazily. "It's true," she said. "I could look at you all day." Her fingers moved dangerously close to his groin, brushing over the leather before circling back around. She leaned forward and kissed his shoulder, his collarbone. Her hands at his sides gently urged him up, till he was standing, and she was pressing kisses over his chest and down his stomach. He took a shaking breath when she ran her tongue along the line of skin just along the top of his pants.
Before she could try divesting him of any more of his clothes, he took her hands in his. "Not so fast," he said, guiding her arms to her sides and then cupping her face. "You have more layers than I do." He kissed her firmly and gently manoeuvred her until she was laying on her back. He straddled her legs, holding her gaze briefly, as if asking permission. Her grin was answer enough. He ran a finger softly down her cheek, across her lips, then down her neck. His fingers ghosted over her chest, just barely touching, before coming to the ties of her bodice.
Belle couldn't help but shift against him as he slowly undid the knots, loosening the bodice with what seemed to be infinite patience. When he finally finished, he leaned down and kissed her, his chest pressed against hers. Though still clothed, with the bodice gone she could feel the heat of his skin against her chest, and she arched against him, her hands unable to settle, moving from his waist up to his hair and then back again.
Rumplestiltskin pulled back again, and before Belle could do anything besides gasp for air, his claws had shredded her clothes, baring her skin. Suddenly he was pressed against her again, his mouth by her ear and he whispered, "I hope you weren't too fond of this outfit."
She let out a surprised laugh and pulled his face to hers, kissing him fiercely. "You need to get out of those pants," she told him. He gazed at her, the lust in his eyes setting her ablaze. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and he hurried to obey. As he rolled to the side to divest himself of his remaining clothes, she quickly followed her own order. In what seemed like a flash, they were both naked, and time seemed to slow as they lay side by side and just looked at each other.
Belle reached out and brushed his hair back from his face, then let her hand wander over his chest and down his stomach. His eyelids fluttered shut when she reached his cock and took it gently in her hand, running her fingers up and down. He shivered, opened his eyes, and then he was above her again, kissing her mouth, her neck, trailing his tongue over her breasts and causing her to moan. He made his way down her body till he was between her legs. Softly, his tongue slipped between her folds and she trembled. He slid a finger inside her, mindful of his claw, and finding her already wet nearly drove him mad. He kept working at her with his tongue, a second finger joining the first, and Belle writhed. She felt as though she was on fire, with waves of delicious heat circling out from her core. Her hands fisted in the sheets, she managed to look down as Rumple glanced up. The orgasm hit her just as their eyes met, her breath rushed out of her in a wordless cry.
One of her hands grabbed at his hair, and he crawled back atop her, sliding his arms under her back and kissing her. Belle had barely recovered when she felt his hardness pressing against her. She gasped and shifted her hips, looking up at him when he hesitated. "Rumple," she whimpered, and with a contented sigh he slowly slid into her. He touched his forehead to hers and didn't move for just a moment, and they savored the feeling.
Belle moved, and he followed. Their pace was slow, at first, and they held each other close and tight. Belle kissed him sweetly, almost chastely, then her teeth found his lower lip and it set off a spark of intensity. The kiss deepened and Rumplestiltskin growled into her mouth when she hooked her legs around his waist. His tempo increased, and he thrust into her with a wild passion. He pulled out of the kiss and buried his face in her neck, biting her flesh, and Belle moaned as he marked her skin.
Suddenly, surprising herself a little, she pushed him over and straddled him, guiding his cock back inside her before he could recover. She held still, adjusting to the feeling, and looked down at him, smiling slightly when she saw the look on his face. His hands rested on her hips and she covered them with her own, guiding them up her sides before releasing them. She began moving slowly up, then back down, humming with pleasure.
Rumplestiltskin's thumbs caressed the sides of her breasts, and goosebumps rose on her flesh. He slid his fingers to her nipples, pinching the hardened nubs gently, then tightening the pressure until Belle gasped. He moved his hands back down her sides before coming back up to her breasts and pinching her nipples again, harder this time. He kept the pressure there with one hand while he trailed the other down her stomach and to her groin, his fingers finding her clit and rubbing it softly, till she nearly keened at all the sensation.
Belle's hips were moving in earnest, and Rumple kept time with her, feeling that he was close. She rocked against him, moaning his name again and again, and when she threw her head back and her inner walls clenched around him he came with her, his hands moving to her hips and holding her to him as he cried out, thrusting up into her and seeking out every last drop of pleasure.
When he could move again, she was still shaking atop him, so he took her in his arms and shifted their bodies so she lay next to him, her head pillowed on his arm. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. Rumplestiltskin brushed her hair back from her face, then rubbed his hand up and down her arm, still trying to catch his breath as well.
After a few moments, her eyelids opened and she gazed at him, her smile slowly spreading across her face. He couldn't help but smile back. She took his hand, squeezed it, and whispered, "I love you."
Rumplestiltskin raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, murmuring his response against her skin. "And I love you."