Rumpelstiltskin is not the type to care. He usually puts away with all of the trivialities such as feelings. They belong in a cage, which is then put in another cage. No, the Dark One is incapable of feelings.

Or at least, he was. Until a certain princess came along and changed everything. In his heart of hearts, Rumpelstiltskin pretends that perhaps he isn't reading too much into this. No. He scolds himself. His little maid, the dear girl known as Lady Belle, would never care for him in the way he cared for her.

However… That doesn't stop him from declining the offers he's given for her. No, the dear is his. He won't allow her to go anywhere without his permission, either. Yes, Rumpelstiltskin is… protective.. of his maid.

But that's all.

When Sheriff Nottingham offered to trade information for Belle's body, Rumpelstiltskin had been furious. He'd almost turned the Sheriff into a slug and squashed him, but then… Then Belle would know. She mustn't know that he was growing to care for her.

She'd use it against him. She'd make it out to be what it was truly - a weakness. Belle was becoming his weakness, and that… That wasn't good. And so, with a long sigh and heavy deliberation, Rumpelstiltskin decides that he must let her go.

"Dearie," he calls for her, his voice traveling so that he needn't shout at her. "Come here." he requests softly, and fidgets with his hands as he waits, deliberately not watching as she sashayed over to his side. "Yes, Rumpelstiltskin?" she asks politely.

"Are you… Are you happy here?" he asks quietly. Rumpel notices that she starts at the question, and takes a moment to respond. "I'm not unhappy." she says just as quietly. "I miss papa, and my friends, but I have you." she explains. "I could be far worse off."

"How?" Rumpel sneers. "You have to deal with the monster everyday for the rest of your life, Belle. You can't be happy." Belle sets the tea set down, and comes to sit at her chair across from him.

"You presume to know my mind, and my pre-set future then, sir?" Belle says calmly. "Do share." she arches her eyebrow at him.

Rumpel looks at her sheepishly. "What do you think would have happened then?" he asks curiously, settling more comfortably in his own chair.

"I'd be dead." Belle says flatly. "The ogres." she explains. "Or, my father would have forced me to leave with Gaston." she adds, shuddering. "I'm not sure which fate would have been worse."

And that's when Rumpelstiltskin knows he can't let her go.

CROSS POSTED ON ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A FACEBOOK, I AM ONE OF THE ADMINS OF A GROUP CALLED Rumbelle For The Win. YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS!

LOTS OF LOVE, KINDLE