He was silent as a cat, creeping towards it's prey. Like a child sneaking to steal a sweet. Like a wolf among a flock of sheep. Like a scary wizard, out of similes, who wanted to scare his little maid. Because he was scary.
Rumpelstiltskin's reign of terror didn't stop him from admiring the lovely picture before him. Belle was reading, her back to him,bathed in sunlight. She was lost to her book, head tilted to the side which exposed her throat. Perfect to touch, kiss, bite. It was the first time the Dark One envied the light.
But enough of this secret, mental poetry, fantasizing about his maid. Rumpelstiltskin crept closer, behind her. He reached around and-
"Boo!" Rumpelstiltskin grabbed the book from her hands.
Belle squealed and jumped up. The Dark One was rewarded with the flush in the cheeks, the fleeting fear in her eyes. It turned to angry- or at least annoyance- immediately.
"Rumpelstiltskin!" Belle cried reaching for her book. He moved it out of her reach and she said, "Give it back! You scared me!"
He shook a finger at her, "Nuh-uh. You were too engrossed in whatever this is to hear me coming, dearie. What is this anyway?"
"It's nothing!" he hid a smile as she struggled to calm herself, "It's just some old mythos."
"Nothing? I'll be the judge of that," he flipped through the pages, "Hades and Persephone? The god of the underworld who stole and ruined the little goddess of spring growth? Hardly light reading."
It was, in fact, quite sexually detailed.
"Well you shouldn't be sneaking around!" Belle snapped, flushing again. She reached for her book and succeed in taking it from her master.
He waved a dismissive hand, "Never mind that. I am actually here to tell you that I am going away for a short while."
"How long will you be away?"
"You can expect me back the day after tomorrow. Do not leave the castle while I am away, dearie," he said sternly.
Belle nodded then said, "May I ask you something?"
"Would you not if I said no?"
"Why don't you ever call me by my name? We are given them for a reason," she asked, ignoring him.
"Names," he sighed, "Names have magic in them. Using someone's name holds a certain power over them."
"So you don't use my name because you'd have power over me? But you let me call you Rumpelstiltskin. Aren't you worried I might have a power over you?"
He stepped closer to her so she had to lift her chin to look him in the eye. He could feel the heat from her body. She could smell the magic on his skin.
"I will be back the day after next, dearie."
So she waited. And she read. She finished the book about Hades and Persephone and she read it again. She fell asleep with the book in her hands.
Rumpelstiltskin found her that way. Asleep with the book on the floor, curled up in his chair. His business had went well and he was in a very good mood. He didn't think twice, moments later he was carrying a still sleeping Belle up the stairs and into his room.
Laying her in his bed he smiled. She looked perfect there. He removed her shoes and tucked her in, "Sleep well, dear one."
When Belle woke up the next morning disoriented and hungry. She was in a room she'd never seen, in a large comfortable bed and still dressed. Not only that, but there was a mysterious tray of food beside her. There was only one explanation: Rumpelstiltskin was home.
After Belle finished her breakfast, fixed her hair, and went to find her master. The castle was unusually quiet for the wizard being home. She searched through the great hall, the herb gardens, the library, but no luck. Finally she found a note tacked to his workroom door: Do Not Disturb (This means you, dearie)
Glum, she walked back through the castle, feeling low as she worked through her chores. She dusted. She swept. She organized the book shelved in the library and reorganized them. She realized that her mood was effected on whether Rumpelstiltskin was around. (She also realized that she tended to do repetitive things when she was waiting for him. But this was less important.) Belle wasn't sure how she felt about that, and tried to rationalize it by noting that he was the only person she saw and why wouldn't she be lonely?
She decided not to think about it anymore. She made lunch.
Rumpelstiltskin was sitting at the head of the table waiting for her when she brought the meal out. He was sprawled out in his chair as if he'd been waiting a long time for her.
"Rumpelstiltskin!" Belle set the tray down in a hurry, "You're home!"
He grinned at her. Home.
"Indeed, dearie. Never mind that, come see what I brought you."
She probably should have found it odd that her employer brought her back a present every time he went away, but she never thought about it. Rumpelstiltskin enjoyed the way she lit up when he offered her something- a new book, a hair ribbon- and the way she'd then blush and insist he didn't have to give her anything.
"You didn't have to bring me anything!" she said.
Rumpelstiltskin pulled the fruit from midair and handed it to her, "For you. Do you know what kind of fruit it is?"
Belle turned it over in her hands, "a pomegranate? Like from my book!"
"Aye dearie," he waved his hand and a cutting board and knife appeared on the table. He took the pomegranate from her and sliced it in half, "You only eat the seeds."
"I knew that," she tossed her head, slightly, and put a seed in her mouth, "Mmmm! This is good!"
He nodded, encouraging her. But Belle held out her hand, holding several seeds.
"Do you want some?" she offered.
He nodded, silent, beckoning her closer. He pulled he to stand between him knees, trapped by the table and his chair. He firmly grasped her wrist pulling her palm towards his mouth. Bending slightly, he ate the pomegranate seeds from her hand.
Belle gasped as Rumpelstiltskin's teeth grazed her skin. Finishing the fruit in her palm, he suck the juice from her fingers.
"Very nice," he murmured, smiled and kissed the inside of her wrist, "delicious."
He enjoyed the way she gasped, the way her breathing sped up, the way her pulse raced beneath his lips. He kissed the curve of her elbow.
"Is this alright, pet?" he asked. Belle nodded mutely.
He pulled her closer yet, picking several seeds and feeding them to her. Belle's gaze never left his own, even as he pressed his fingers into her mouth for her to suck clean.
"My sweet, sweet girl," he said and just as quickly as it began, he stopped. Rumpelstiltskin's hand dropped from her cheek. He stood, knocking Belle back against the table and moved away.
"I will leave you to your lunch."
He was gone.