"These ones are fine, I'm pretty sure anyways." Belle speaks a tad loudly as she carefully handles an eggplant, testing its firmness and finding it satisfactory. "I think we're going to need some mozzarella as well as some ricotta cheese for the casserole. Unless you already have mozzarella?"
Turning to their cart, Belle notices her father chattering with another person an entire aisle away and just shakes her head. Despite him being ill and having now just gone on fine a month after his last trip to the hospital Moe French seemed just as lively as ever. Well, she didn't blame him for his delighted mood, the tests the doctors did on his heart had come back not to long ago and it seemed that whatever had occurred to induce the heart attack wasn't something developed in his heart itself.
She was still worried for him though but with another trip to the hospital for another scan and check up happening soon it would hopefully help them find what was ailing him. Till then the man just kept on fighting like the stubborn ol' mule he was. It made her proud how well he fought after all they had gone through, and she'd never once seen a bottle of vodka or stack of alcohol hiding away in the depths of his home. He'd truly kept his promise.
The bills for all of it so far weren't horrible, she was helping him keep them in line… For now at least.
Continuing their shopping for dinner and his nearly empty fridge (her father was always terrible about getting his own groceries) Belle strolled down aisles finding a few more necessities. A familiar voice rung down the next aisle which caught her attention and peeked her curiosity. Needing to pick up some cereal anyways she strolls down with her cart into the row to see Mr. Hopper and Mr. Getto chattering away. Belle recalled that the two were quite good friends and it puts a smile on her face even further to see the usually quiet psychiatrist smile and talking rapidly.
"Oh-Ms. French? Good afternoon." Mr. Hopper notices her presence and she waves and approaches. "I thought I saw your father a while ago, the two of you out and about today?"
"Yup, just getting some groceries for eggplant casserole. By the way-good afternoon Mr. Getto."
Mr. Getto smiled widely. "Ms. French you know I wonder if it's more than coincidence I met you here. I was just talking to Archie here about a big event happening at Avonlea Friday and to my surprise I find myself bumping into you. Now I don't have to bother you and your father with a call today. Don't worry it's nothing too serious."
"A big event?" Belle doesn't recall hearing anything about a big event happening that week, then again working the nightshift and never seeing any of the other employees basically kept her out of the loop. "I'm not sure if I can, it's quite sudden."
"Oh, I'd compensate you for the rashness of the situation." He quickly added. "It's only a few hours extra before your shift since the party is in the evening."
"Well… I don't have anything really going on Friday… Sure, why not."
—
"Ah yes, there's always a big sch-cho-ool party here at Avonlea every year for the little ones, with them being stuck back in their classes and what not. Hard to believe it's that time again, but that's going to be a lot of extra work! Why by the time you get to working your actual job you're going to be exhau-hau-sted." Rumplestiltskin rambles on in his high pitched voice and warns her as Belle listens.
Belle can not help but wonder where this mother hen personality is coming from within the animatronic man. Usually he was always reiterating the fact that 'he didn't care' or that what she did 'was of no concern to him'. She had been sure it was a farce but now was quite certain her instinct was right.
It's another night at Avonlea, a Tuesday night just like the others, except today Belle had good news to share with her mechanical friend after her encounter with Mr. Getto earlier in the day. Said impish animatronic was currently resting on the couch of Belle's small office, looking quite odd against the normal backdrop with his leather clothes and medieval flair, while he was looking at her with a mildly concerned stare.
Belle shrugs a bit with one shoulder as she swivels in her office chair, going about lazily in a half circle. "It's overtime pay though. I'll get paid a bit extra for working as a day guard and any extra money is good money right?"
"I suppose…" He hums, an odd buzzing sound due to his unnatural voice. "It's your life after all. I just don't want to have to be dumping a bucket of ice cold water on you that night if you were to say… Pass out on the job." The broken giggle that glitches erupted from his throat and Belle turned in her chair harshly towards him, a mighty scowl upon her lovely features.
"Oh you wouldn't." It's more of a warning but the machine keeps smiling his wide naughty grin, revealing pointy bits of metal teeth. "I'll be fine, I mean how tired can I get from standing back and watching over a few kids? And then I can get some extra rest Saturday before I head to my other job."
"If you say so, dearie." The machine retorts and for some reason Belle has a feeling the machine knows something she somehow does not.
—
Friday rolls around just like any old other day and Rumplestiltskin finds himself waking far earlier than he normally does. At first he blinks his faux eyelids in the darkness of his hideaway, allowing the light to start up his sensors as he ponders why he activated at such an peculiar hour. Stretching his limbs to unwind them from his body, his whirling bits and pieces of machinery for a mind recalls something important.
"I remember, today is that big party." Rumplestiltskin whispers quietly despite knowing he could talk louder and no one would hear him with the big furnace and pipes whirring in the maintenance room.
"Belle is going to be here…" His built in clock lets him know it was nearly 4PM and the school assembled party would start very soon if he recalled Belle's information correctly (which he did-his mind clung to numbers more than anything else). "Maybe she's already here." The machine smiles to himself as he reaches behind his back to remove his wires from the outlet which was self carved and created for his own use. Clawed green fingers hesitate plucking the lines when he realized there was no point in freeing himself yet.
"Perhaps my mind is not nearly as well kept as I th-oug-ought. It's not like I can waltz right out and say hello when she does arrive." He mutters despondently to the gloom of his dark tiny room. "Besides she has to deal enough with me five nights a week… She should get a chance to enjoy being here without me looming over her."
So he lurks there, sitting in his spot as he closes his eyes and listens to the sounds out through the rest of the building. He hears quite a few staff members hollering back and forth, trying to get some extra things done before the massive swarm of kids would overrun the place and consume all free time with their needed attention. The kitchen was alive very much so tonight as well, he could hear the pipes humming and he knew from years of experience that the help was making much more pizza than any other usual night.
Another smile managed to pull up one corner of his lips. Belle would at least be kept well fed tonight with free food. A full security guard was a happy security guard after all. Hopefully it wouldn't make her too exhausted when twelve rolled around, he didn't need her to get a ridiculous buzz off of coffee just to keep awake… But she was so funny all worked up and energetic, her life shone right through her every gesture and word.
Great. There he went again, loosing track of his mind and only thinking about the beautiful lovely woman.
"Oh no! I can't stop thin-ink-king about her! This isn't good!" Rumplestiltskin harshly whispers while tugging at his own strands of wiry hair. As if it wasn't bad enough he had noticed this within himself the machine spots a spider in the corner, thanks to the soft yellow glow of his eyes, stop and stare in his direction as if it was amused by the blathering of a talking tin can. "Bah! I don't need your judge-men-ment, you produce web from your posterior, you have no room to talk about weird."
The spider turns and simply scurries on to it's corner.
The realization that he was growing attached to the young woman was far too heavy for him to simply ignore when he turns back to his own inflections.
"No one's talked to me in years of course I'd grow a bit more than just attached. It's only natural-well I'm not natural-so would it be unnatural for a human then but what about me? I-grah!" He grumbles, now tapping his nervous fingers on his leather cladded knees, the sound of hollow metal 'tinked' lightly within. "It's not like I can truly care about her… She's such a chatty touchy one. Ah, I simply can't ignore someone when they are so bizarrely enga-enga-ging. Yes, I'm just being polite that's all. She's been kind and fair to me it's only right I do so back."
The machine fumbles with his words as he talks to himself in the darkness, trying to convince the programing that was his consciousness that he truly did not care a single bit really over Ms. French.
He couldn't care because one day she'd leave, never return, never visit, and the agony of his loneliness would become too much to bear all over again. She didn't care anyways-couldn't care about something like him. He was just a minor convenience to have around in the boring forsaken world of Avonlea at the wee hours of the night.
"Rumple…"
"She doesn't truly care bout me… She can't…"
"Rumplee…"
"What? Belle?" Rumplestiltskin sat up straight, wondering if his processors were hearing wrong or perhaps he was finally experiencing a catastrophic failure in his mainframe. It wouldn't be so bad to hear such a lovely voice repeat his name on loop though would it?
"Rumple… Open up…" That was in fact Ms. French's voice!
A knock rattled gently against the metal panel that was firmly in place, startling the animatronic further.
"Belle?" Rumplestiltskin repeated again as he freed his wires from the outlet, quickly stood and then tip toed to the panel, placing his metal palms upon the rough grating.
"Gonna let me in?" He hears her chuckle softly and his wires pop and squirm with a surge of powerful energy. "I don't have long, I said I had to visit the ladies room and take care of a call afterwards. I didn't admit it was a house call, but they don't need to know that."
"Hold on-step back-be careful!" Rumplestiltskin stutters out, his voice glitched with concern when he went to move the panel.
'Yeah-sure don't care about your security guard at all huh?' His mind prods him and he frowns as he works on easing the metal slab from the rest of the wall to let the awaiting woman in.
"There's a light on in here, I'm totally fine." Her low voice says on a whimsical note. Sure enough, the panel moves a bit, exposing some light from the other room and quickly he pushes it back in place. "Hey-What's wrong? If you're not decent I can come back." It's more of a tease the way she words it but his mind is all a whirl with fear.
"The lights on out there-I can't. What if some-ome-one walks in?"
"No one is gonna walk in-not if you don't hurry. I did close the door behind me and besides if someone finds me in here I'll just say I was snooping around or something."
Rumplestiltskin relaxes a bit and goes about moving the panel back to let her in. The light pours in from outside and Rumplestiltskin shrinks back, allowing his 'eyes' to readjust from the increase in brightness. Instantly his sensors adjusts his vision and so he turns his head to find Ms. French already moving past him to waltz into his abode.
"Why the random visit in the day, dearie?" The machine manages to form a coherent sentence before he sets the panel back halfway, allowing some light for his human guest. Wearily he hopes the spider has moved on since he recalls an encounter with Ms. French and said type of creature. It was an amusing sight that one night but he had to rescue the spider from an untimely demise via the knights boot.
Ms. French turns on her boot clad feet and looks at him. It's then he notices she's got a book in one hand and his eyes widen against his will with delight.
"Thought I'd check up on you before I started my day shift. They are going crazy out there in the lobby and kitchen now though-I swear they're nearly squawking sometimes. Just how many kids are gonna be here?" Belle inquires with a slight tilt of her head and he flourishes a calmed hand nonchalantly.
"Oh not many- the usual whenever this school makes their yearly trip. Perhaps about one hun-un-dred or so."
Blue eyes widen greatly at his words. "One hundred! Good lord-he didn't mention that many." Belle spoke worriedly in reference to Mr. Getto and then put a hand over her mouth when she forgot to remain quieter than usual.
"He tends to forget some impor-port-tant details sometimes." The imp shrugged and Belle sullenly nodded. She knew full well that fact. After all she had applied to the security guard position expecting a daytime shift and look where she was now.
"But…" Belle starts and he notices her tuck her lip between her teeth, a habit of her own, and glance to the side. "I've never had to look out for kids before, not that many anyway. I grew up an only child and I didn't have many friends even when I lived back in Australia, none with any younger siblings really…."
'I don't understand? I mean it's not that much of an issue to be worried about… Oh, I see… My Troublesome Knight is actually nervous.' Realizing the issue at hand Rumplestiltskin lets out a sigh-the puff of air shooting through his throat hardly like an honest human sigh.
"You're going to be fine." With a flick of his index finger he points it up to gain her attention which works. "The teachers are there with the kids and the worst thing that might hap-pe-pen might be a child gets a booboo from falling down or something." Belle cracks a smile at him using such a mature word as 'booboo' and he's glad that somehow he is able to help her-if even just with a little laugh. She's been kind to him and understanding of his own fears (oh he knows he's a coward-perhaps the one human trait he semi has) so being able to elevate even a portion of her own is a miracle.
He continues. "All the other random day guards didn't do much the years before, you'll prob-bab-ably just stand around and watch them run themselves silly for a few hours while enjoying some free food and drinks."
"Are you sure it'll be alright? It sounds like you're better suited to be handling kids than me to be honest." Belle tilts her head again and smiles a bit of a toothy grin.
He shakes his head, spilling his wiry mop of hair about, and forces his lopsided smile not to falter. "Ah, I'm not so good with kids, dearie, but I'll take the compliment. Trust me, my data and odds calc-ula-ulations are never wrong, everything will go smoothly."
Belle frowns a bit as she reaches over and sets her new book for him down on the top of his make shift shelves. "Aw, you were doing so good calling me by my name before, dearie." With her freed hand she mimics the machines quirky movements, curling her hand through the air with the other towards her chest as well imitating the high pitch of his voice.
"If you much prefer Bothersome Dishonorable Knight I can refer to you as that instead." Rumplestiltskin retorts snarkily and Belle simply quirks a brow at him, setting her arms back in front of her crossed together. "Though that's a bit of a mou-outh-thful to say-even more than my own name and that's saying something. Perhaps-Chatty Knight? No, that doesn't quite ring well. Tolerable Knight? Hmmm…"
She's staring at him now when he finally realizes it and his words fall quietly as he stares back. The dim light coming in sets her darkened eyes sparkling and he feels he's never seen eyes more beautiful than the cool blue peering at him.
"Thank you, Rumple. You've helped me feel much better-I'm embarrassed to admit it but even this Dishonorable Knight gets nervous sometimes." The flitter of her voice is deeply sincere and the imp feels the sizzle of sparks deep within in chest burn through his gears and parts. Large yellow orbs pin point down on the small human woman and take in the state of her. She's dressed impeccably in the security guard uniform as always but her hair is incomplete in its ponytail, a runaway portion of her bangs clings close to her eyebrow.
Hesitantly but without much thought the machine reaches his hand up and gently brushes back the lock of hair. It stays put in place with the others and he smiles shyly down at the security guard who is staring at him in what must be shock or fear.
'Oh no! You went and touched her like that! Of course she's afraid!'
Rumplestiltskin recoils his hand, realizing he'd let his guard down and had shown how deeply he was beginning to care for his small bright human-to her and himself. The small 'o' of her mouth didn't disappear as she looked at him with that heavy gaze, and he felt his eyes unable to part from hers. So desperately he wished to know what lied in her mind looking at him- did she truly think he was 'human' like or did she just see a pathetic lonely 'monster' that deserved just a portion of compassion? Was he equal to her flesh and blood despite his metal and wires?
They broke eye contact when the sound of the maintenance room door opened, it breached the thick silence around them.
"Crap!" Belle hoarsely squeaked before bumping straight into Rumplestiltskin. The machine was not easy to topple, being nearly 200 pounds of alloy and metal made sure of that, but he moved his arms to hold her and took a wobbly step back in shock. Her small frame and his bumped back into the wall and she quickly reacted further before he could. One hand clutched the top of his vest, snug against him as the other went up and covered his mouth. All the animatronic could do was stare wide eyed at the human tucked firm enough against his metal exoskeleton that he could feel the pressure of it.
Voices started to waft through the outside room and Rumplestiltskin felt fear well up inside of himself in one mighty surge. Half of the panel was still open! What if they somehow noticed!
"Sshhh-Rumple." Belle whispered stiffly and he figured out why pretty quick-his form was starting to tremble and rattle slightly. "We're gonna be okay-I promise. I'm here."
"Odd, I don't know why the light is on, ah, oh well. August could you give the machines backstage a quick look over before the evening show. As soon as you could would be nice." Mr. Getto's voice spoke up loud and clear. "I'm worried about them somehow being off track-I noticed during the last show the prince seems to be getting stuck towards the left of the stage."
"Got it." August Booth's voice rung out as well, the sound of them grabbing tools filling the extra void of noise. "Hey-Ms. French is supposed to be here today isn't she?"
Belle stiffened against him and Rumplestiltskin turned his vision from the beam of light slipping into the room back to her. What did August want with Belle?
"I thought I saw her just a few minutes ago," Marco began, "But yes-I asked if she'd be here, just as a safety precaution. With so many kids you never know if one of them might accidentally get hurt and I'd rather make sure that doesn't happen."
August did a small chuckle, but it didn't have really any heart to it, it was more of a dismissal really. Rumplestiltskin felt an inhuman growl building up in his steel throat.
The kid had never taken his fathers dreams seriously and always acted as if everything was a big joke; the animatronics, the kids, Avonlea all together. There was so much more about the man that Rumplestiltskin didn't care for either. The imp was positive that the few times money had gone missing during the day was due to August and his sneaky attitude, but the machine had no proof.
"I know, I know, you think I'm crazy for needing so much security. But just you wait, Ms. French will save a kid from getting a scrapped knee or a concussion from falling and bumping their head. That's what matters."
"No, it's not that-it's just there's not anything here that could get a kid hurt bad enough for a guard… You know, like that one time-"
"August stop… We agreed not to talk about that."
Rumplestiltskin was the one to completely freeze in place, his mind focusing on Augusts words, replaying them over and over again in an endless loop.
'You know like that one time-that time that monster hurt that kid.'
('Can't we talk about this, sir? I'm a reasonable man and I know you and your family has gone through a traumatic incident that no parent nor child should go th-')
('Shut up! You don't get to talk! I won't rest or settle this case till that fucking thing is destroyed!')
('Please you can't-it was just an acciden-')
('I'll have your doors fucking closed in a single day if you don't get rid of that-that-damn monster! After what it did to my-my- I can't forgive you.')
('I… Understand… There's-There's no room for faulty equipment here at Avonlea.')
'Faulty equipment. Thing. Monster. That's right, I can't forget-can't forget-can't and must not forget.'
"What? It's not like I even really know what happened, with you always being so mysterious about the whole event and what not." August pipes up and Rumplestiltskin is pulled from within the turmoil of his mind to listen to the conversation taking place.
Mr. Getto remained silent a few more pauses, then the sound of a drawer being closed clattered in the open air.
"Someday perhaps… But I do not prefer to dwell on it. The past is past."
"Sorry…" August said, a bit impassioned but it seemed to go over with his old man.
"Now, I've got to make sure we've got the proper list of kids for when they arrive, remember check on the prince will you?"
"Got it." August replied as they gathered up whatever it was they had come looking for and after a few foot falls left the room, flicking the light off as they went.
Silence settled back into the darkened space after the door closed but it was thick and heavy, bearing more weight on him than the woman pressed against his body.
Was the few memories of him and his time as a piece of Avonlea just those? When Mr. Getto thought of 'Rumplestiltskin' did all he see was that horrible accident? Were his only recollections of the imp ones of horror and disgust?
His form starts to tremble again, images of blood and gore ghosting across his artificial eyes, the vision of two small faces scrunched up in horror stared at him all while their screaming bounced through his skull as if it had never stopped.
'Don't scream! I'm sorry I didn't mean-I didn't mean it-I didn't mean it-'
"Rumple! Rumple! You're not okay, I know." The animatronic feels his head being forced down, the pressure of a hand twined behind his steel skull is noticeable. Unwillingly he is forced to look head on to the woman still leaning on him and he feels horrible at seeing the utter pity drenched in those blue depths.
'Does she know? God-No-no! She couldn't have found out, couldn't possibly know!'
He awaits her to pull away and start pelting him with questions, to quickly pin the blame on him were it always belonged and delude the flood of beastly terms that he deserved.
If she knew then she'd truly see him as a monster.
Not a single peep comes out of him as they stare at each other again. The hand keeping his head from jerking away (he could if he wanted-he knows this) seems to release its hold after a few more seconds. Delicately the palm of her hand cups his chin and cheek. It's an innocent gesture, one he doesn't deserve but he relishes in it despite the fear of her recoiling at any moment.
"I've got to go, before they start really wondering where I am."
"Okay…" He manages to whisper back, turning his gaze down to the floor as his eyes lid half closed.
"Thank you again Rumple, I'll be sure to come for you once I'm the only one left in the building, so you can get some extra time out and about." Belle reassures him.
He nods and she lets go of his face, the weight of her hand gone already setting him off balance.
"Remember-" He managed to pipe up before she turned to leave, a fleeting sense of bravery welling up within him despite the terror that had been weighing him down. "You'll be f-in-ine. You're a good guard, don't forg-org-et that."
"I won't…" Her gaze is so gentle that it helps calm him quickly. He's glad that even a portion of her mouth turned upwards again after all she heard.
Then suddenly, something extraordinary happens. Something never before in the entirety of his twenty eight year old existence and something he'd never expected from this unpredictable woman.
Belle turns back to him, leans up on her feet, and softly kisses him on the cheek. Of course he can't tell if it's 'soft' or 'hard' as humans describe such things, but he knows it must be this 'soft' with how he can't even feel those red lips touch his metal shell. It lasts just barely a second but he traps the moment in his memory so he'll never forget it.
Then the young woman pulls back and settles on the flat of her feet. The glow of his eyes is the only way he can see the faint red hue of her face.
With a quick turn she's gone, right out the half open panel and 'pitter pattering' away out of the maintenance room.
The machine sinks to the floor, stuck in utter awe at what just happened. Trembling fingers reach up towards his face while his awful maw remains agape. He can feel the pressure of his fingers against the outside as he touches the place where Ms. French's lips had once remained upon his person.
"No one has kiss-se-ed me before… Is she crazy? Who kisses a machine?"
He feels the stinging at his eye sockets again, the peculiar sensation that sends small 'errors' to his data born mind that something might be wrong or faulting there. It could simply be dust clogging some open port, or maybe moisture had built up and corroded some exposed wire but it was strange the sensation only occurred when he felt the most 'weak'.
Instead of focusing on the foreign 'feeling' he closes his eyes and allows himself to ponder over the thought that perhaps there might be one creature in this world that could truly care for him.
—
Belle had to compose herself after leaving the maintenance room, having been sure to scope out the area so no one knew where she had actually run off to.
Unconsciously her right hand goes up to her lips where the sensation of kissing cold metal still lingers. Not that his face was entirely metal, there was the strange texture and material of fake skin, it allowed Rumplestiltskin such human like expressions but it was still so icy and inhuman. It had not been unpleasant or disgusting though.
Her heart thumped painfully in her chest as she glanced back at the door and thought of her company holstered away in darkness now. At first he had seemed so happy to see her, the random visit had been a good idea and she was glad to have done so. Then Marco and August had walked in and began to speak about things, cryptic words over an event that hung more strange, mysterious and intense than she had initially thought.
The look on his face had changed to one of absolute horror when they had heard that conversation.
'No, it's not that-it's just there's not anything here that could get a kid hurt bad… You know like that one time-'
It was clear now that what had occurred to this unnamed child, the situation unknown as it was but clearly horrible, had something to do with Rumplestiltskin.
Putting the pieces together made the notion all the more visible and yet the puzzle was one she didn't really want to see the completed image of.
That was why he hid so persistently then, not just because of his supposed 'destruction' but because he could not trust himself with even being near human beings at all.
Yet why did he stay then here at Avonlea?
'It's not like he could go anywhere.' Her mind pointed out harshly and it caused the broken beating of her heart to worsen. 'Where on earth could a mechanical man like him stay? He'd be rejected in any world outside of Avonlea but then again he'd been rejected by Avonlea too hadn't he?'
The heavy dark thoughts seemed to be weighing her down but with an uproar of sound coming from the front of the building Belle awoke from her reflection. There would be time to think about all this later, for now she had to get out there and prepare for a whole one hundred kids scrambling and playing in Avonlea.
Despite being nervous Belle felt a courage fill her chest as she composed herself and righted her silly crooked bow.
'You'll be f-in-ine. You're a good guard, don't forg-org-et that.'
She would be alright, he believed in her after all. He guarded Avonlea dutifully and trusted her enough that he knew that everything would be okay, even with an Ungraceful Knight leading on the charge.
The pitter patter of her heart grew again.
—
Turns out there were only ninety four students, six short of a hundred, but still so many small energetic beings to look out for. Knowing this, Belle kept her cool when she saw the young ones pile on in one after another, a never ending flood of pre pubescent children. Mr. Getto was quickly busy talking with two adults, teachers she could imagine, at the reception desk as the little visitors poured in, wide eyed and awed.
Belle decided a circle about during the first hour was the easiest bet on keeping track of the kids. She'd have to stop over by the large glass windows to see the kids inside the playroom, just to make sure no one had fallen or got into a fight with anyone else, then make it over to the arcade, then back to the stage area where some kids flittered about with 'magical wands' and 'enchanted swords' that were foam and pretty much harmless.
The few teachers were a good helping hand in maintaing some form of order as well as Avonlea's fellow employees. Belle finally had a chance to actually talk to some of them and it was nice to see some younger people much like herself enjoying Avonlea as a job experience.
Despite the actual hustle and bustle, as well Belle being coerced into a game of 'save the princess' by a group of small boys, everything was going smoothly as Rumplestiltskin said. Part of Belle wished he could be out with her and enjoy watching these kids, perhaps even cause a bit of silly mischief she knew he liked to do. No one belonged stuck in a room away from people all day…
'Isn't that right… Mother?'
The evening show with the shiny animatronic entourage began after an hour and soon the little ones were all wrapped up in this weeks adventure amongst the prince and his princess against the evil queen and the terrible dragon. Their catchy music filled the entire building of Avonlea, enrapturing the kids who sung along with the TV screens displaying the lyrics.
Finding a perfect time to head to the break room to grab a drink, Belle stepped into the back hall, closing the door quietly behind herself. It was still quite warm for being the middle of September, so she fanned herself as she strolled down the brightly lit corridor. Mr. Getto had said there were free cold drinks for her back in the break room's fridge-
"Where is it… Shit…"
'Who the heck is that?' Belle thought to herself, quite perplexed at this odd voice in the back hall she didn't recognize. Curious, Belle turned the corner to see an unfamiliar man closing a door that went to one of the spare offices and turning back down the hall, facing away from her. It seemed he hadn't heard her at all.
The man scratched his stocking cap clad head, appearing quite lost and deep in thought. "I thought it was back here…"
"Excuse me sir?" Belle piped up right behind him, and the man nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden volume of her voice. 'Oh no I'm getting as bad as Rumple!' Belle felt more like laughing than feeling embarrassed about that fact, perhaps she could even sneak up on the machine herself one day.
The man turned to her quickly, his cap slightly off center with his head from the motion. He was just a little bit taller than her, just barely, he was also heavier set as well as sporting a mustache and goatee. Overall he didn't look familiar in the slightest, but then again quite a few people moved to Storybrooke while she was gone.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you. Are you lost? This is off limits back here unless you're waiting to see Mr. Getto about something. I believe he's still on the floor right now however."
"No, I'm not here to see him." He shook his head quickly, looking a bit red and sweaty, making Belle ponder a little bit more to why he was lurking in the back hall. "But I am-lost… I was just trying to find the bathroom."
"Public bathrooms are out in front, right next to the laser tag room." Belle pointed out, placing a hand on one hip in a slightly perturbed manner. "I'll lead you to them if you'd like me too."
"No, no. That won't be necessary. Laser tag room. Got it." The man began to walk towards the correct direction to the restrooms and Belle decided to walk along with him, now curious to what this stranger was doing. "I was thinking too hard and must have missed it." He started talking again not seeming to mind her having veered off her own path. "I've been so busy today but my son-he really wanted me to come to their big school party and I couldn't say no."
"That's sweet of you." Belle smiled a bit as the man looked abashed. He must be a parent to one of the kids from the elementary school, she knew one other adult from the buses had a kid themselves and had come just for that.
Belle opened the door for him and as they turned the corner he darted towards the bathrooms.
"Ah-How did I miss them-so sorry again."
He was already behind the door when the security guard tried to respond. "No… Problem." Belle quirked a brow then sighed. 'What a strange man… He was probably just curious about what's in the back and just snooped a bit. I'll have to keep an eye out to make sure any kids don't wander back there as well.'
After that there wasn't hardly any bizarre or unexpected instances. One kid did scrape their knee while tugging with another student over a foam sword but with just a little bit of cooing and a bright orange bandaid thanks to the thoughtful security guard the boy was on his feet again in no time.
When dinner rolled around it was the most quiet it had been that entire night. Belle was busy stuffing herself with pizza as well, chatting with Marco and August, whose stories she couldn't tell if were mostly true with a smidgen of lying or the opposite. Before she knew it the clock was already quite a bit passed eight and it was time for the kiddies to head back to school to be picked up by parents and head home to quickly fall asleep thanks to wearing themselves out thanks to having fun all day.
It was strange how quiet the building became after all the kids piled back out the door and left Avonlea to just it's few employees littered about.
They weren't the only things littered about Avonlea, kids were messy creatures after all. Mr. Getto had approached Belle before she could make a move to head off home, handed her a trash bag and Belle sighed when she realized she had easily been coerced into clean up as well.
—
Belle wearily groaned out loud when eleven PM nearly rolled around, glad that the building was finally emptied and quiet. Marco had told her she could have left after nine but there was quite a mess that even she had stayed to help with cleanup. Instead he kindly offered her to keep her overtime pay extended till twelve if she went to work guarding the place and Belle gladly accepted the offer.
Avonlea had officially closed at ten, and due to everyone working hard, everyone had gone home early save the lone security guard.
The pay would be well worth it but she was exhausted.
"Rumplestiltskin." Belle called out as she strolled the back hall, her feet aching a bit with each step. It was already dark in the entire building now, her loyal flash light peeling the shadows back with a flick of her wrist. "Hey, there's no one here you can come out. You've got a little bit of extra free time tonight…" When she sees the maintenance room door already opened she curiously peeks inside, wondering if the animatronic had already been on the move.
His small hideaway is just as empty as the bigger room and she is left to ponder where he had gone. She decides to grab the newly loaned book still sitting upon his shelf right where she had left it before she wandered back out.
Instead of staggering back to her office she walks the floor again, finding herself observing and glancing about much like her robot friend, trying to notice anything odd or out of place. A few pieces of earlier missed trash end up in her hands before she dumps them off into a garbage bin and continues on her way.
"Rumple? Where are you?" Belle calls out, her brows furrowing a bit when she can't quite find the machine. Before she knows it she's in the back hall again, scratching her head in wonder and confusion. 'The tablet would be of no use to find him, he probably already has it set to that static loop.' She thinks as she heads back to her office.
Another door is opened, she didn't notice it that way before, this one was only open a slight crack. Curious again, she opens the door to the break room and finds just who she is looking for. The mechanical man sits in a folded chair towards the large window, the one he'd appeared in that fifth night she'd worked here and the one they waved to each other at as she left on some occasions.
The blinds are pulled up and she can see a good cut of the dark star speckled skyline where the trees were cut back. Rumplestiltskin is still, stock still in that chair peering out the window with his mop of scraggly hair blocking any view of his face.
Realizing she really is a bit too tired and weary Belle walks over to the coffee maker and sets it to brew. When it's all left to just waiting she returns to the table where Rumplestiltskin has not even moved an inch from in the entire time she's been there.
"It's pretty out tonight." Belle gently speaks as she pulls back the opposite chair from him and sits down. No longer hidden behind the curtain of hair she sees his profile staring straight out the pane of glass, giant yellow eyes locked onto things she can't see.
Belle turns slightly so she can stare out too. The summer constellations are still in line and are visible to her human eye thanks to the street lamps having fallen dark around Avonlea.
She never really got to see the starry sky in Boston, she's missed it.
"It's very pretty indeed." Rumplestiltskin speaks softly as sleepy blue eyes flicker back to him. "Even when the sign lights and the street lights are on at night I can still see the stars. I guess it's one of my few… Advan-van-tages perhaps?" He chuckles gently but it's hollow, void of true delight. Despite sounding relaxed Rumplestiltskin is arched like he's ready to bolt or run at any given time, she's sure she knows why. All that she had heard and thought about earlier came back into mind, the weight almost seeming to have never lifted at all.
Belle hums softly in agreement, setting one elbow on the table to rest her chin in her palm.
"Rumple," The young woman begins and somehow the lull of her voice breaks his stone like composure, his shoulders stiffen and his jaw clacks tightly closed to the rest of it. "You know that I don't know why you were meant to be destroyed… I have no intention of finding out unless you are the one telling me. I made a promise not to pry, you deserve privacy and respect just like anyone else… But if you ever feel like you can open up, if you ever want to talk about it…"
He's quiet just the same, the silence hangs heavy between them.
"You'll hate me." His robotic toned voice is hardly audible but she catches it. "If you knew what I did, you'd truly be scared of me."
"I don't think you have the right to say how I will feel." Belle snaps back, but quickly lowers her tone as well as dropping her arm from upon the table. The animatronic finally moves his head and looks toward her, wide alien eyes peering back. For a second she thinks he's really going to jump up from the chair and make a beeline for anywhere but here.
Instead the machine's eye lids droop with a faint 'tink' and a sad smile pushes at the corner of his mouth.
"You're cor-rec-rect. I don't have that right…" The machine sighs, sadness showing heavily in false yellow eyes. "But what I did… You have no idea… I don't know if I could handle you looking at me like I'm-like I'm-"
"Then you'd just have to take that chance wouldn't you?" Belle reaches her hand across the table and gently touches his arm lying there. "What's past is past… I see good in you, the you-you are right now. Even if you did something bad I wouldn't see you as a monster for it, the guilt alone you're showing me even now ensures me that."
"You think there's good, in me? In a broken down machine? I'm not capable of that, haven't been for years." He speaks like she's crazy but it's obvious it is his own insecurities at play, another human trait something like him should not have.
"You are capable, and I know I am correct when I say that."
Flustered as he tries to stammer a response, the animatronic man simply darts his nervous eyes away and Belle smiles at the small victory since he's refusing to rebuttal.
How could she show this machine the good she saw in him? True there was much she did not know about him but speaking and interacting and even touching him alone proved to her heart that there was someone who needed kindness just like any other human.
"You… Did well watching over the kids today. Nothing happened to work yourself up over, eh dearie?" Rumplestiltskin changes the topic. Belle allows this, hoping that perhaps over time they'll be able to talk about things that he dares not to. Maybe it'll help them both heal in ways they hadn't been able to.
"No nothing did. Thank goodness… It went well, just as you predicted. It was nice to see kids enjoying Avonlea like I did as a kid. What's that look for? It really does makes me happy to see them all bright and imaginative even after a long day at school-"
Belle stopped jabbering when a big yawn interrupted her speech.
"Oh-Jeez." She laughed a bit embarrassed. An attempt was made to hide from him how tired she really was but when another yawn escaped her small laugh she knew it would be impossible.
"I knew you'd be tired, you'll need that coffee and then some." Rumplestiltskin tittered leaning toward her playfully, once again the silly imp. Belle got up and moved over to the coffee maker, pouring herself a paper cup full and sitting back at the table. It was a little too hot still to drink so she blew at it gently while he smirked-darn him.
The animatronic noticed then the book she'd had brought with her, she could tell with him peering at it from the sides of his eyes in interest. Picking up the copy of the well known classic 'Frankenstein' he thumbed open to the middle of the book, flipping the pages in mild curiosity.
"Would you read to me?" Belle asked randomly.
The young woman watched him look at her rather a bit surprised with his metal eyebrows bending upwards. He glanced back to the book, large yellow orbs for eyes rolling from it to her, unsure over this inquiry.
She nodded her head to edge him on, smiling a bit as she rested her elbows on the table and propped her head against them. Even though his voice was a bit broken and his words often reiterating themselves due to his faulting bits and pieces, it was a lovely thing to listen to with that strange nearly Scottish like lit.
Smiling back at her encouragement, the imp held the book out as he turned more towards her and less from the window and it's star speckled sky.
"The event on which this fic-ic-tion is founded has been supposed, by Dr. Darwin, and some of the physiological writers of Germany, as not of impossible occurrence. I shall not be supposed as acc-cord-ording the remotest degree of serious faith to such an imagination; yet, in assuming it as the basis of…"
—
" 'But you are mistaken, my friend, if thus you will allow me to name you; nothing can alter my des-es-tiny listen to my history, and you will perceive how irrevocally-er-irrevocably it is determined-"
Rumplestiltskin pauses during a sentence, leaving the rest of the words to fall off into silence and disappear into the dark. The written word had him quite smitten for a while but the young woman slowly sinking towards the table recaptured his attention far greater. Before he had even realized it Belle had fallen asleep right there in her chair as he read page after page of only the preface of Frankenstein to himself, apparently.
The coffee she worked to get sits next to her cradled head, the cup hardly even sipped upon.
He had warned her this would happen. The security guard should be quickly rectified of her mistake. Should the punishment be a cold cup of water slowly poured on her head? Maybe several ice cubes down the back of her shirt? A pair of pots banged harshly against one another?
He does none of the impish and mischievous thoughts that come to mind despite chuckling over them. Instead he sets the book down and reaches over to grab her paper cup, get up, and go dump it out in the sink (no doubt it's cold and probably useless to her if she were to happen to awake). After that he moves back over and stands next to her chair. He pauses upon noticing the slight rise and fall of her chest as her lungs pull in and retract every breath while she slept unaware.
Living, breathing, warm and soft. She was all these things he was not, things he couldn't understand, and yet was undeniable captivated by-if only because of her.
"Oh silly Knight…" He speaks gently to the open air. "Perhaps I could forgive this grievance… Just this once."
He knows he'd forgive her for such a small human need regardless or any for that mater. He couldn't harbor any ill for this living creature who has welcome his unsightly form despite all he has done.
However, Ms. French couldn't be left at the table, no doubt she'd get a horrible kink in her neck from such an odd angle she was positioned in. The couch in her office would be far more comfortable and she'd be safer tucked in the warmth of her personal room.
Nervously the machine tries to figure out how best to pick her up. Of course he had not to long ago, but she had been unconscious from hitting her head and needed medical attention. This was different.
He'd be horrified for her to wake up half in his grip and scream in fear at being hoisted into his arms. It'd hurt to much to see her scared again like that.
Delicately, which is hard for something that had no comprehension of actual touch, he wrapped an arm under her leg and behind her back.
Easily he hoists her into his grasp. She's not a problem at all to carry though he does notice she is quite a bit bigger and a bit heavier than when she was a child. Humans grew and changed, a peculiar thing.
'You're still very little…' He laughs to himself happily, before strolling out of the break room and taking her back to the office.
Rumplestiltskin decides to leave the light off, not needing it himself personally and thinking it would be best to keep his security guard asleep. He lays her gently upon the couch and glances to her face, worried perhaps now she'd awaken.
She hadn't, she sleeps peacefully with a neutral expression, so tired and exhausted that she will probably not even dream much at all. Quietly he looks about the room to find a blanket perhaps, but all he has to make due is her own jacket hanging on the back of her chair.
With her tucked in he steps a bit back and looks at her, wondering how on earth an amazing creature like her ended up working in this lonely place.
He wonders about that night years, and years ago. He wonders why she had holed herself up here at Avonlea and had cried those buckets worth of tears that made him wish he could also weep for her. Tears she more than likely had long forgotten just to escape the pain.
"It's okay Belle… You don't have to face another night like that…" He coos and part of him wishes he was brave enough to lean down and kiss her on the forehead, much like how she had kissed him on the cheek.
In the end he doesn't, because one-he is not human and two-he is not brave.
"I… Don't worry about Avonlea tonight, I've got it. I'll protect you."
This is something he can at least do. He might not be able to walk beside her an equal but he can protect her with the might of a monstrous machine. No one will ever harm Avonlea's security guard while he was around.
And no one… Would ever, ever hurt his friend.
