Almostvivian prompted: Rumple is also Santa in FTL
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing them, please don't sue me I can't afford a lawyer...
N/A: This is my first fic in English, it's far from perfect but I hope you'll like it…Thank you so much yourecurseddearie for the quick beta, you saved my life!
First Snow
"So, you're the Beast from Beauty and the Beast… Who else are you in our world ?" Belle asked, lying in the bed next to Gold.
Slowly, Gold's hand grazed Belle's belly. He loved waking up next to her, being able to touch her, kiss her, love her. Creating Storybrooke had been just a way to find his son, but now, with Belle in his bed – their bed – he realised that this little town was his happy ending.
"Hmm… you read too much, love" he said, his arms around her, keeping her close.
"Please Rumple," she begged in a laugh when his lips brushed her shoulder.
"Cinderella's Fairy Godmother…" he kissed her collarbone. "Hook's crocodile…" he kissed her neck.
"Who else?" she asked, her hands buried in his long hair, keeping his lips on her neck.
"Hmmm… Santa" he said, in a breath his lips closing on her earlobe.
He felt her tense and looked up to see her perplexed look.
"What?" he asked.
"You're Santa? Like the big guy with the beard, the sleigh and the presents?"
"Well… not exactly… but you were there, you helped me. Don't you remember?"
Belle had been in the Dark Castle for a year now and she still felt like she didn't know the man she lived with. They kissed. She almost broke his curse. He yelled at her, sent her away, but it was True Love and she didn't dare or want to leave, to lose him. So she stayed, and kept hope that one day he would trust her again. She knew she hadn't done anything wrong, it had been all Regina's fault. She spent days and days, in her room alone, thinking about what the Queen had said on that road. Why did she do that to them?
Eventually one day, she understood. The Queen was jealous. She tried to ask Rumple about her motivations, but he stayed silent. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he hugged her, his head on her shoulder, his nose buried in her hair, his lips grazing her neck. He couldn't kiss her, she knew that, but the feeling of his breath on her skin was enough for now. They were close again, and she was grateful.
Belle was in her kitchen. Reading next to the fire when she heard voices coming from the great hall. She knew she wasn't supposed to listen, but she couldn't help it. She had always been curious. She silently climbed the stairs to the great hall. The Queen. It was the Queen and she was talking to Rumplestiltskin. No, they were not talking, they were arguing, she realised. She'd never heard someone talk to Rumplestiltskin that way. It sounded so hateful. Belle reached the door and waited. They were talking about her, she realized.
"Where is your little maid, Rumple?" asked the Queen .
"It's none of your concern, dearie," he said in a hiss.
"My my Rumple. So protective with her… Is she already your…toy?"
The creak of the spinning wheel stopped and silence fell. She didn't have to see them to know that Rumple was furious. Since that day when he first took her in his arms everything had changed and even if they didn't talk about it, she knew how he felt and how defensive he could be.
"Out. We're done here. Get. Out."
Belle heard a dark laugh and the sound of high heels on the wooden floor. The Queen was leaving.
"You can come in, dearie," Rumple uttered, startling Belle.
She didn't know he had spotted her. Slowly, she opened the door and walked into the room. He had moved and was facing the door. He stayed still when she approached him. Belle could see the meeting with the Queen had left him tense.
"Thank you," she said, when she was behind him.
"For what, dearie? He asked, clearly confused.
"For protecting me.
She put her arms around his middle and lay her head between his shoulder blades, bathing in his scent. She loved the way he smelled, the mix between leather and magic, and something else, something more spicy. His personnal scent.
"She doesn't know, does she?" she asked, when she felt him freeze at her touch.
He still seemed not to believe that she wanted to touch him, to be close.
"Knows what?" he asked, in a shallow breath.
"That it's True Love. I heard her. I heard what she said about me being your toy" she said,knowing exactly what the Queen had meant.
"You heard that," he said lowering his head, shameful.
"It's not your fault," she said, when she felt his hands on hers.
It took time, but he seemed to trust her again. He knew she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He knew now that she wouldn't try to kiss him again, to break his curse. It was True Love indeed. He squeezed her hands, before leaving her embrace and turning around.
"Come with me" he said, his fingers barely touching her face.
He let his fingers stroke her cheek, her neck, her arm before taking her hand. He led her to a part of the castle she didn't know. Never letting go of her hand, his thumb drawing little circles on her wrist. Belle couldn't help but shiver at the touch, she loved when he was so close, so… human. No matter what he said, he was a man. Behind the Dark One, there was a man who craved to be loved, to be touched, to be understood. And she was more than happy to give him what he needed. To soothe his fears, to fill this emptiness she could feel within him. It was True Love, no matter what he did, what he said, she wasn't ready to leave him, to break him.
When they finally reached their destination, Belle was lost. She didn't know where they were. She'd never been in this part of the Castle, but with Rumple's hand in hers, she knew that she was safe. Rumple opened the last door at the end of the dark corridor and let her enter first. At the sight Belle froze. The room was as big as the Great Room. Glowing in a golden light. At the end, next to the fireplace, a tree was waiting, surrounded by a huge pile of crates.
"What are those?" she asked confused.
Rumple smiled and led her further into the room.
"I'm going to tell you a story," he said, leading her to an armchair facing the glowing fire.
She sat, her eyes staring at the strange decor around her. The place was immense, a long table stood in the middle, covered by stranges tools and shining wrapping paper and ribbons. Belle was more and more confused.
Rumple knelt at her knees on the floor and stared at the fire.
"Once upon a time, there was a small village. Forgotten by everything and everyone in the land. They were humble and poor, but they had a tradition. 63 days after the first snow they spared one day for the children. This in itself was a gift, but there was more. This day, every child was given a present. It was either food, a toy, or clothes, but always something precious. I grew up there."
Belle buried her fingers in his curls and waited for him to continue. He seemed lost in his memory.
"Bae loved it," he said eventually and Belle held her breath when he started to talk about his son. "He always counted the days after the first snow, knowing he would get something soon. I was too poor to spoil him at the time." he said, in a whisper.
He didn't like to remember those days, because he didn't want to remember what came after. The ogre war, the Dark One, the bean, and his cowardness.
"I've lost him… and since that day, I started to count the days. 63 days after the first snow. I give a present to every child in the kingdoms. Not matter how rich or poor their parents are. Every child must have a gift."
Belle's eyes went wide. She remembered those small gifts wrapped in their shiny paper she used to get when she was younger. She never asked her father about them, and he never said a word. Now she understood why. He didn't know.
"It was you! I thought it was my father, a way for him to spoil me without me arguing. Ever since I was old enough to understand what was happening in the kingdom, I refused to let him spoil me. We were at war and I didn't want him to spend the kingdom's money for me." she explained.
"It was me," he said, in a smile turning his head to see her face. She was smiling, her eyes full of wonder.
"Why did you tell me?" she asked.
"Because, you seemed so lonely, so hurt by Regina's words and… I wanted you by my side this year," he said shyly.
"Oh, Rumple," she whispered bending to press her cheek against his hair and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He seemed so lost, so insecure. The mighty Dark One was only a poor little lost boy. "Of course I'll be there. What should I do?"
A smile spread on Rumple's face and he rose, taking her hand in his, helping her to her feet. He led her toward the tree.
"You could decorate the tree? Everything you could need or want is in those boxes."
Belle nodded and started to going through the boxes discovering the wonders in their depth. Rumple watched her for some time before heading for the table. A long parchment appearing in his hand. He sat at the head and put his finger on the first name and closed his eyes. A few minutes later, a smile on his lips; he opened his eyes. He flipped his hand and a little princess dress was hanging on a track that wasn't there before.
At the other end of the room, Belle was trying to figure out how she was supposed to hang the little bell she had in her hand. She had no string or ribbons. She turned around to ask Rumple, but stayed silent. He had his eyes closed. She looked at him, curious to see how his magic worked. A few second later, he opened his eyes and flipped his hand. A little puppet appeared in front of him. Belle stepped forward, and he smiled at her.
"A problem dearie?" He asked.
"I… I don't know how to hang the decorations," she said, heat rising on her cheeks
"You just have to think about it, they're enchanted," he said, smiling.
"Oh"
She went back in front of the tree, closed her eyes and let the little bell fly toward the top of the tree. She opened her eyes, and saw the decoration hanging exactly where she had desried it. She turned around and smiled at Rumple, but he was once again lost in his task. She sighed and started to hang more decorations. Everything was made of gold. The finest gold she had ever seen. She knew instantly that Rumple had made every piece in those boxes himself.
Hours went by and Belle was still lost in her task, when she felt a shift in the air. Raising her head, she turned around and found Rumplestiltskin standing just behind her.
"Oh God! You scared me," she said, her hand on her heart.
"The monster lurking before the young maid… I like it," he said, smiling.
"You're not a monster," she laughed.
Rumple shook his head, he couldn't believe that this young woman could be in love with him… The she could accept the monster in him.
"You should take a break."
"I'm almost done," she answered. "Give me two more minutes and I'll join you for tea."
Rumple looked at the tree, amazed. She had done wonderful work, better than everything he could have done himself.
"Where did you find those little angels?" he asked pointing to a cherub made of pinky gold.
"They were in one of the boxes," she said perplex. "You made them, didn't you?"
"Yes, but they were made of gold, like everything else. How…"
"Oh the shade you mean? Well, you told me they were enchanted, so I guessed that I could alter them a little. You don't mind?"
His eyes went wide in stupor, Rumple couldn't believe what she had done. She'd used magic, naturally, without even thinking. It had taken him at least 10 years to find and master a way to create objects with the magic gold he spun at his wheel and she had altered them in the blink of an eye.
"Of course no, I don't mind," he said, shaking his head, a smile on his lips.
"Great!" she said, happily. Turning her attention back to the tree
She took a red ribbon, closed her eyes and let it fly to hang itself on the tree. Rumple could see that she seemed to really enjoy doing this. He was happy to give her something to do. She had seemed so lonely and bored lately. He could understand why. The castle was enchanted to give you everything that you could need or want, and even a neverending supply of books couldn't keep you busy all day. He had his deals and his spinning wheel, but she had nothing. He was glad to have shared his little secret with her.
"What should we put at the top?" Belle asked, suddenly. Shaking him from his thoughts..
"What?" He had been so wrapped up thinking about her that he hadn't heard what she said.
"The top? What should we put there?"
"Your choice, dearie. It's your tree," he answered, grinning.
Smiling, Belle went through the boxes again, looking for the perfect ornament. Suddenly she froze, she had found it.
"Rumple?"
"Yes dear?"
"What's this?" Rumple took a step closer and looked over her shoulder. Oh… that… she had found it. He thought it was lost since the day Bae had left.
"It's… Well it's Bae's star."
"What do you mean? He made it?" she asked knowing that with Rumplestiltskin nothing was like it seemed to be.
"Well, not exactly…"
"Tell me," she said, her hand on his arm.
His eyes fell on her hand. He still couldn't believe that she wanted to touch him.
"When I became the Dark One, Bae didn't like it in the least. He hated it. He hated me. One day, he went into the woods and wished upon a star. He wanted to get rid of the Dark One's curse. He came home with a magic bean, telling me that he had found a way to cure me. We made a deal. I lost him because I was a coward and I broke that deal. I used my magic to find the star and the fairy who was associated with it. The Blue Fairy. A nasty creature. I captured her." he explained, avoiding her eyes.
Belle gasped. She looked at the star in her hands. she could see the faint blue glowing. A fairy. She couldn't believe it. He had locked up a fairy.
"Don't worry," he said when he saw her shock. "She doesn't even know she's trapped. The star is a little world of its own." he explained.
"But… She's a living being. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve to live trapped in a magic world."
"I lost my son because of her! Don't you understand!" he spat, his stare burning the star in her hands.
"Rumple," she said, her hand on his face, her thumb stroking his cheek, she tried to calm him. "It's not fair, you can't keep her, and you know it. She has paid enough, don't you think?"
"No."
He flipped his hand and the star disapeared, going back where it should have stayed.
"Bring it back!"
"No."
"Rumple, please. She's spent what? One? Two hundreds years in there, don't you think she has suffered enough? Please…"
Rumple sighed when he met her pleading blue eyes, now filled with tears, gazing at him.
He didn't know how she could do it, but he couldn't refuse her anything. And he hated being powerless. He walked to the table and suddenly, the blue star was there. Rumple took it and let his fingers draw over the shape of the star, lovingly.
"It's time to let go" whispered Belle, putting her hand on his.
Rumple sighed and nodded. With a move of his hand, the star started to shine, bathing them in a blue light and then suddenly, nothing. The light just disapeared and the crystal started to crack.
"It's done, she's free," said Rumple, head bowed, the dead star still in his hands.
"Thank you" said Belle wrapping her arms around his waist.
He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed.
"You should leave me alone," he said letting her go.
"But…"
"No, please go." He begged.
Belle sighed but said nothing. She knew him now, she knew that he needed some time alone to mourn the last piece of his son.
The next morning, Belle was in her kitchen, eating her breakfast, alone. She had thought that Rumple would join her, like he did every morning, but he didn't show up. She put the dishes in the sink and went looking for him. When she saw that he wasn't at his spinning wheel, she knew just where he was. The room she had left him in the day before.
She walked through the dark corridors trying to remember where exactly that room was.
After getting herself lost severals times, she finally found it.
Silently she opened the door and found Rumple at the table. He seemed to be asleep. She closed the door behind her, and looked around. The room was full of toys, clothes, candies, everything she could imagine a child would like.
Rumple was indeed asleep, she came closer and looked at him. He seemed so peaceful like that, She'd never had the chance to see him so ungarded before and she liked it. He seemed younger and fragile. Not that mighty sorcerer everybody knew in the lands. He seemed… human.
"Stop watching me", he grumbled, startling Belle.
"I wasn't…"
"Yes you were. I could feel your eyes on me," he said raising his head.
"You spent the night here?" she asked.
"Hmm.." He flipped his hand and a tray appeared in front of him. "Tea?"
With no other chairs in the room beside Rumple's and the armchair on the fireside, Belle proped herself against the table and nodded. She'd already had her breakfast, but she could never have enough tea.
"You know I can give you a chair," Rumple said in a smile.
"No, I'm alright, thank you."
Belle looked at the presents around her. The room was full and each piece was unique and wonderful. She could only imagine the work Rumple had done in such a short time.
When she turned her eyes toward the tree, she realised that he had put the dead star at the top.
"You.." she began.
"Yes," he said following her gaze.
"Why?"
"Because you were right, it was time. And even without its… occupant, it's still Bae's star."
Belle stroked his cheek, a sad smile on her lips. She knew that he had done it for her, not for him, not for the fairy, for her.
"What's next?" she asked.
"We have to wrap the presents," he said, the tray vanishing.
"All of them?"
"No, just some of them, the magic will do the rest, but I like to do some of the work myself" he explained in a chuckle.
"Show me."
He had left the end of the table clear of everything except the shinny paper and ribbons. She had noticed that the first time he had led her into this room.
"Come," he said, taking her hand. "Stay here," he said, stepping aside to let her see the small box in front of her.
He stood behind her, looking over her shoulder. When she started to fold the paper, he stopped her.
"No, not like that. Let me show you," he said, his breath grazing the back of her neck.
He stepped closer and put his arms around her, his hands on hers, guiding them. Together, they wrapped the small crystal bell in its box in a shinning red paper. Then, Rumple took a yellow ribbon and started to show her how to tie it around the present. When Belle touched it, she realised that it wasn't a ribbon, but a long piece of gold. Gold so thin that it was pliable and soft, but strong enough to wrap itself around the gift without breaking. Once again she was amazed by Rumple's magic.
He sighed deeply when he let her go. Being so close to her wasn't good for him. one mistep and they could break his curse and his only chance to find Bae. He had to be careful, to remind himself to not kiss her, and that was becoming harder each day. He longed to kiss her, to make her his, but not now… Later. Bae was his priority for now.
"We're done!" said Rumple, when all of the presents were wrapped. All except for one..
"What about this one?" Belle asked.
"This one's for you my dear," he said, with a shy smile.
He walked toward her, and looked at her when she took the little straw puppet in her hands.
"For me? But.. I'm not a child anymore…" she whispered, tears burning her eyes.
"No, indeed, you're not a child anymore," he said, closing his arms around her.
She clutched the little puppet in her hand and buried her nose in the crook of Rumple's neck.
"Thank you," she said, her breath brazing the thin skin of his neck.
"Anything for you."
She rose her gaze and met his eyes. "Thank you" she said again, her forehead against his. Their eyes locked. "I love you."
"I remember" Belle said when Gold ended his story, their story. "You didn't just give them a gift, you gave them enough gold to survive a whole year," she added, steeling a kiss.
"Only if they were careful," he answered. "You told me that you loved me that day…"
"And for the first time you didn't deny it."
They smiled at the memory, and their lips joined in a loving kiss.
FIN