His Favorite Color
By: RosexKnight
thecompletebookworm prompted: 26. "they said 'speak now or forever hold your peace' so i'm speaking up"
"I don't like her."
"Yes I know you've only told me that three dozen times."
"Well I don't."
Belle had been muttering under her breath and picking away at her pancakes all morning. It was the same thing she seemed to do every morning since Gold had brought Cora Mills to Storybrooke, announced their engagement, and began planning the wedding. Belle had tried (really she had) to like Cora. To get to know the other woman. She was about to marry her best friend after all, though she often wondered if she was the only one that still considered Gold her best friend.
"Okay but why don't you like her?" Ruby asked, or rather recited, "And none of that stuff about getting a bad vibe or whatever like with Gaston."
"Was I wrong about Gaston?"
"Not the point."
Belle frowned, looking over to where Cora was smiling at Granny, picking up her usual two coffees before going to his pawn shop because he probably went to work before she was done putting her face on. She gave her and Ruby a pleasant smile and wave before walking out and down the street.
"You're jealous!" Ruby said, slapping Belle's arm.
"I am not!" Belle lied. "I just don't want to see him–"
"With someone else?"
"Hurt."
Ruby rolled her eyes "Please Belle you've had a thing for him for forever. And I mean I didn't get it at first because ya know age and junk but then–"
"You met Archie." Belle snapped back, happy to play her friend's game.
The waitress gave her a glare. "I saw how you two look at each other."
Belle snorted "We're just friends. He helps with my antique books and I help him catalouge his knick-knacks."
And have tea with him. And bring him lunch sometimes. Hell it used to be her bringing him coffee in the mornings before going to the library to work for herself.
"Okay fine." Ruby said simply. "You're not jealous. So then why don't you like Cora?"
Belle sighed, staring at her pancakes. Because she was jealous. Because she'd been looking forward to Gold's return until he had someone on his arm. Because Cora didn't know that he liked to drink tea from the chipped cup. Because Cora didn't know his favorite color. Because Cora didn't know that on rainy days he hated moving at all. Becaue Cora didn't know he'd been married before and hated talking about it since it had caused him to gain and lose a son all at once. Because Cora wasn't in this for the man.
"She just seems so…fake." Belle said.
This perked Ruby right up. "What like a gold digger?"
"You've seen her here. She's not really laughing at those stupid jokes he tells. She's putting on a show, being what he wants at the moment."
"Maybe she is what he wants."
"She's not!" Belle snapped, too quickly. Ruby quirked an eyebrow at her. "His smile doesn't reach his eyes anymore…"
"Well then. You're his best friend." Ruby said, pouring her another cup of coffee. "What are you going to do about it?"
Belle swallowed a lump forming in her throat. "I don't know…"
And Belle was no closer to finding a solution when the day of the wedding came. It wasn't helping that she couldn't get a moment of time alone with Gold without Cora's icy glare following her later, or during that time. She could tell Gold didn't like it, but the last thing she wanted to do was make things worse between he and Cora. Or he and herself. And so, she kept her mouth shut, though that didn't stop her from holding her head up high when Cora gave her a look, or from correcting her from time to time. But she was supportive, because that's what a best friend was. Even when he was dressed in his best suit and she was making sure programs were all in like for the ceremony in his favorite dress to see her in.
"Your tie's crooked." Belle noted with a giggle. "Nervous?"
Gold seemed to hesitate for a moment, then swallowed and nodded "A bit."
Belle couldn't read him. He'd slipped on an emotional mask to her. She couldn't see if he was happy, but she knew he was nervous. She also knew what Cora would say about a crooked tie. She'd been very particular with everything about the wedding. Her day had to be perfect. Her day. Belle hated that.
"Here." She said, stepping forward to fix his tie, giving him a small pat on the chest when done. "Perfect."
"Thank you, Belle." He said with a smile, and she loved that smile. This may have been Cora's day but that was her smile.
It was on the tip of her tongue. It was all on the tip of her tongue. Something larger than anything she'd ever felt rising in her chest. But then the door was opening and her father was walking in with carnations.
Belle cleared her throat. "I uh…I better go help him."
Gold blinked, nodding. "Yeah. Of course."
And with that, Belle was helping her father arrange flowers for the reception.
"You know…" Moe said as Belle fluffed a few petals on the centerpiece. "I was never the miser's biggest fan, but I always thought…Well I thought you…"
"Yeah." Belle said, her voice small, cutting him off, "Me too."
The patrons began to file in one by one. Belle never thought Gold was one for big weddings, but Cora had other ideas. All of Storybrooke was there, and Belle found herself sitting in the middle, firmly planted on the groom's side. As Ruby sat down beside her she suddenly found that she didn't want to be here. The feeling in her chest pushing, overwhelming her.
"You alright?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah." Belle said. "I think it's just…I just realized I love him. And he's marrying someone who doesn't."
"What are you going to do about it?" Ruby asked.
"He's happy. What can I do?"
"Is he really?"
"I don't know anymore."
Belle hated this. She was being selfish. She didn't need to get involved. Gold was his own man. Making his own decisions. What right did she have to interfere with them? With his happiness.
Cora walked down the aisle, head held high as everyone stood, looking on top of the world. Belle looked away, to Gold. He looked proud, leaning on his face with a smile on his lips. A smile that didn't reach his eyes.
She couldn't do this. She couldn't stay here. Ruby sensed this, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. But then the preacher was talking, and everything fell away as she watched Gold, leaning on his cane, fidgeting with the handle. They weren't even holding hands.
"If there is anyone who objects to this union." The pastor's words shot through Belle's haze like a bullet. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."
His knuckles turned white, and Belle found herself shooting up.
"Belle?" Ruby squeaked.
Cora snapped around before Gold could. "What are you doing?"
"Speaking up." Belle said simply, stepping out of the aisle. "What's his favorite color?"
"Excuse me?" Cora asked, blinking in sheer shock.
Belle was walking down the aisle now. "How many lumps of sugar does he like in his tea?" Ruby was grinning. "How does he like to spend his time on rainy days?" Moe chuckled. "Hell, what route does he take on rent days? You ought to at least care about that."
Cora was staring daggers into her, Gold and the priest glancing warily to each other. "What are you accusing me of?"
"What. Is. His. Favorite. Color?"
The woman in the white dress gave a breathy giggle. "Gold."
"Blue." Belle corrected, and Cora winced.
The fact still remained that Cora was the one in the dress. With the ring. Belle deflated, the rage leaving her as she turned to Gold himself. She saw the confusion in his eyes and swallowed.
"I just need to know if you're happy." She explained, despiration creeping into her voice. "That's all."
Gold faltered, his adam's apple bobbing as he glanced between the two women before him. They couldn't have been more different, really. And Gold suddenly realized the mistake he almost made. The mistake one of these women was ready to save him from. All for the sake of his happiness.
"No." He breathed before he could second-guess himself. "You know that. You both know that."
"I had no idea you–" Cora defended.
"But you did." Gold snapped, his voice riddled with hurt and anger. "And she's the one who cares."
Cora glared at Belle, who couldn't help but smile. She then directed her glare at Gold, before simply holding her head up high and stalking back up the aisle. Belle exhaled a breath she'd been holding as a dull whisper erupted through the church.
"I'm sorry." She said simply. "I just…I thought–"
Gold cut her ff with a touch on her arm, then he was pulling her into a tight embrace "I love you." He said. "I was always scared to tell you. You deserve so much more than someone like me. But then you straightened my tie and I–"
"Shut up you big idiot I love you too" Belle said with a giggle, and a smile stretched across his face, her smile, all the way to his eyes.