A/N: So i wrote this before the winter hiatus was over during s3 and we had no idea how the hell rumpel was gonna come back and so I just kinda made something up where he knew the whole time he was going to come back. Anyway, this is written in an AU where Cora doesn't die and she gets her heart back and with it return her feelings for rum, which creates some hella sexual tension between them post-the millers daughter up until 3b because he did love her once and with her heart back his feelings return a bit too. Really I'm just sorting through files on my computer and deciding to post things that I find there. Enjoy, you 5 people who even like golden heart?! honestly idek if people dig this ship but i sure as hell do. so much fucking wasted potential.
He knew when he came back, when the others found out that has sacrifice hadn't really been a sacrifice after all, there would be a wide range of reactions. Surely someone would be angry he hadn't really died, or at least been angry that he had led them all to believe he had died. And a few did he expect would really care that he had returned fit as a fiddle, if a little worse for the wear.
Part of him was sure that Bae would be angry with him at first, perhaps even denial that he was really back, but acceptance would come soon enough, and relief shortly after that upon realizing he hadn't lost his father once again. He expected much the same from Belle without the anger. Perhaps she would even claim to have believed that he would come back the whole time, having faith in him, like she had in so many things that didn't deserve it.
Regina he thought would be, well, not quite indifferent, but more intrigued more than anything; maybe even a little annoyed with him for not letting her know he was alive. Regina had always felt entitled like that; surely she would have thought her mentor might have let her in on the secret. But the truth of the matter was, he had intended to die that day.
But whatever he had been expecting from Cora, it certainly wasn't what he got. Indifference was what he had expected from her, even anger maybe that he hadn't really been killed. Sure, she'd told him she had loved him, but he had been dying and she about to take his life, she probably would've said anything, told him whatever he wanted to hear so long as she knew it wouldn't matter soon enough.
What he got was her storming into his shop going right up to him with what seemed to be a murderous look in her eyes before it softened briefly and before he knew it she had pulled him to her and kissed him. To say he was surprised would've been an understatement and confused. Things between them since she had gotten her heart back had been tense to say the least.
More surprising still, was that he was kissing her back, and not just in the 'she-caught-me-off-guard' type of way, but in the way that said he wanted to be kissing her just as much as she seemed to want to kiss him. For a moment, he too, forgot himself and returned her kiss willingly and enthusiastically. He even dared to wrap and arm around her shoulders and pull her in closer.
Eventually, breathless, they parted. Arm still wrapped around her; he looked into her eyes, his own reflecting his confusion, yet desire was there too. Breathing heavily still, his eyes flickered down to her lips briefly and then next thing either of them knew he was kissing her.