Hamburgers and Library Books
A/N: Yeah, well, I couldn't help myself, I just had to. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I loved writing it for you. Please review, they make me happy! Tell me if you would like me to continue. And please, review :D
Enjoy :)
The second time Belle goes to the library, he is there again.
She says nothing as she enters, mouth opening slightly in a silent oh as she sees him, pausing in the doorway. Behind him there's a table, a dusty old table but he's covered it with a white cloth, a candle on top and a small vase, with a single red rose placed inside it. There are dishes set and on them rest two delcious looking hamburgers, tall glasses of iced tea resting next to them.
With a smirk she quickly locks eyes with him, saying nothing as he guesters to the set up and she follows his hand, walking towards the table.
"What's all this?" she finally asks, not looking at him but instead closely studying the display.
"It's for you, dearest." he tells her, and she catches the way he calls her dearest.
In the other world, it was always dearie, for her, for anyone. But here, it is dearest, or my dear, or sweetheart or Belle, and she can't help the way her heart flutters at the term of endearment, dispite her struggle to remain indifferent, she smiles. He doesn't call her dearie anymore, because she's special, different. Because he loves her, he's made that clear enough.
Without a word, he limps over to one of the chairs and pulls in out for her, and giving a slight mock curtsay, she moves to sit, trying to suprsess the chuckle traveling up her throat and quietly escaping her mouth.
"Why thank you." she says, trying her best to sound proper as she straightens out the skirt of her deep red dress and pulling her chair into the table.
He gives her a nod and goes to sit across from her, watching as she avoids his eyes, afraid she will forgive him right then and there if she looks into them and sees all the pain that this meeting is causing. She knows this is an attempt to win her back, and she can't help how knowing that makes her feel warm inside.
She can sense his eyes on her and she examines her hamburger cautiously, eyebrows furrowing at the unfamiliar piece of food. Tilting her head, the beauty tries to relate the strange meal to something from her old world, something from the only world she's even knew, but finds herself falling short and still staring at the burger.
"You won't bit, you know." he pipes up in his smooth, accented voice, and she glances up at him quickly before turning back to the problem before her, the hamburger.
The stupid piece of meat in front of her seems like the least of her problem, and it is, but she feels better forcusing on the then that fact that they're together, alone. Or the fact that he was only looking for his son, the fact that he was honest with her. Or gave her a library and set up this little date, all for her.
And most of all, she tries to ignore the fact that she can feel herself slowly forgiving him more and more as each minute passes by and her watches her stare at the hamburger.
With a great serge of courage- more than you would think it would need, but this isn't just a hamburger, and they both know it- she picks up the thing quickly and takes a large bits.
And it's good.
It's really good.
She let's out a satisfied, "Mmm." chewing and swallowing before taking another large bite, and another, realizing she hasn't had a decent meal, or at least the first time she's had an appetite, since she'd been taken by her father.
Suddenly, she remembers that she isn't alone. Setting down the half-eaten hamburger, she looks up to se him grinning at her, and swallowing the last bits of food, she grins back.
He raises a brow at her, "I take it that you like it." he says.
She nods, "It's good."
"Here." he says softly, standing up and coming near her, cane forgotten, "You've got some ketchup." now standing next to her, he reaches over to wipe the condiment away, hand lingering, flipping around so his knuckles caress her check.
She sighs, closes her eyes and involuntarily leaning into his touch. His hand drops from her face, but he doesn't move away, and her eyes snap open, "Rumpelstilskin." she breaths, accent thickening with emotion, making his name something of her own creation.
"Belle." he whispers back, and she loves the way her name sounds coming from his lips.
He leans forwards, and she closed up eyes, lips hovering below his, but shys away at the last second, recoiling almost, folding in against herself with a painful and emotion filled sigh.
He pulls away from her straightening up with a slump of defeat, and hobbling back over to his side of the table.
She stands abruptly, breathing heavy as she stares at the now frozen him, who stares back, both contemplating what to do. Slowly, she walks towards him, treading hesitantly, unsure of what she will say or do when she reaches him.
Can she forgive him, can she really? Because her head is screaming nor but her heart shouts yes. She pauses, tightly closing her eyes and curling he hands into fists, resisting the urge to run into his arms, or break down crying, or both.
With a deep, almost shaky breath, she opens her bright blue orbs and continues to go towards him. "Thank you." she says in a hushed tone as she approachs him, stopping in front of him, their noses almost touching.
"For what, my dear?" he asks quietly.
"For everything." she whispers back, "For saving me, more then once. For loving me and helping me. For telling me the truth." she pauses, grinning, the light in the dusty library making her eyes sparkle, "For the hamburger."
He chuckles slightly, but it soon falls away and they are left in what could be comfortable silence, if her next move didn't contain so much importance.
"Belle." he murmurs, almost pleads, and she raises up on her toes to softly press her lips to his.
It's not like any kiss they've had before. It's soft and sweet, yet full of passion and want, with a slight hesitation along with it. She smiles against his lips, all at once forgetting the pain she felt, and embracing the joy she feels now.
It takes courage to say no, to say goodbye, to those you love. It takes even more courage to let them back in.
She pulls back much too soon, and looks up at him hopefully, bravely, "Umm, I haven't really had much time to look around." she says as she bites her pink and well kissed lips, gesturing around to the rows upon rows of novels surrounding them, "And I really didn't know where to start. So I thought, maybe you could show me one of your favourites? That's where w can start, and go from there."
He smiles at her then, a true, genuine smile, that is so rarely seem by people other then herself. And special grin worn only for her, "I think that's a great place to start." he tells her, affectionately offering her his arm.
Taking his hand her grin grows wider, spreading as they walk towards the shelves, "You know," she begins, inquiring something as they walk further into the see of books, "The hamburger was good, but I've never tried a hot dog before either."
Their laughter echos throughout the library.