Disclaimer: Don't own Once Upon a Time
Belle needed a screwdriver. The wheel of the trolley squeaked horribly under the weight of the books it was carrying; one of the screws had come loose.
She fought the urge to cringe at the awful noise as she pushed the trolley round the library. It hadn't been long since it had been opened, and there had been, as of yet, no visitors, which had only given her time to fix the mess that was the organisational system of the shelves. She supposed that, because Regina hadn't intended for the library to ever actually get used, she hadn't seen any point in actually sorting the books stored within.
Which was why she was so surprised when she turned a corner to see that one of the plush armchairs was occupied.
She started at the sight of him, pulling the trolley back a few inches. The wheel gave an alarming squeak.
He looked up from his book.
"Hello," he said softly, giving her a small smile.
"Hello," she nodded back, quickly looking downwards at the trolley and picking up a book, pretending that it belonged on the shelf next to her so that she had something to do with her hands.
"What is wrong with the trolley?" he asked tentatively.
"One of the screws in the wheel is loose. I need to screw it back in."
"I could help you with that."
"By using magic?" She looked up at him; his face fell.
"No, I have a screwdriver back at the shop." He gestured towards the door with his thumb.
Belle bit her lip in embarrassment. Her gaze dropped back down to the trolley. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"It's alright. You have every right to be suspicious. It has not been easy keeping my word."
"And have you?"
He said nothing, and she knew what that meant.
"I am trying."
"I know," she nodded, wrapping her hands around the handle of the trolley. "Enjoy your book."
She tried to ignore the sadness in his eyes as she disappeared back around the corner with a mournful squeak. She tried to ignore her heart breaking a little more in her chest, and how her eyes were prickling in a very familiar way.
She tried to ignore what it meant when he got up and left not five minutes later.