A Gift
By RosexKnight
Anon Prompt: Rumple gives something to Belle.
It had to be perfect. Because it was for her.
"How do you know she'll like it?" Bae asked his father from his spot beside him.
The Dark One glanced to his son. It seemed he no longer had any qualms with being beside him, and he knew that was Belle's doing. After all, how scare could he seem to his own son if the princess was seen so close to him.
No, he corrected himself, she was just Belle.
"Because she suggested it." Rumpelstiltskin said, running his finger over the golden thread.
There was no magic in the way he spun it, only what he was using to turn the straw into the gold. But the thread was all his skill.
"How much are you making?" Bae asked, mesmerized by the wheel.
"I…I don't know." The spinner said, pausing for a moment to glance at the three spools already filled with golden thread. "How much do you think she'd like?"
Bae giggled, standing up. "I think she'd like something more personal than just thread, Papa."
And with that he was off, leaving his father alone with his thoughts. He was right, of course. Somehow the boy was better at this than him. The spinner finished enough thread for another spool, and then was left staring at the four he'd made.
His thoughts drifted to their little princess. Their Belle. She was probably in the library right now, nose deep in a book and running late to start supper. But oh what was he to do? She liked reading more than embroidery but she never seemed to complain about his little requests. Still…
He sat in his large chair by the fire, thread, needle and a silk handkerchief in hand. After all, how hard could embroidery be for a great and powerful sorcerer such as himself?
Very, he came to find out. It was hard not to use magic, almost impossible at times, but magic would ruin it. By the time he was done dinner was already on the table and he'd gone through all four spools of golden thread.
"Are you going to join, Rumple?"
Belle's voice was soft and coaxing, the way it always was with him. He could only hope she was the only one to still see the spinner, the frightened rabbit, under his facade.
"Actually, dearie I have a gift for you."
Rumpelstiltskin rose easily, striding over to her and offering her the deep blue silk. Embroidered in the corner was a small B next to an admittedly crude rose. It was a horrid job really. Loose threads, uneven lines, and as she took it from him he had to stop himself from snatching it back and bolting away. But instead she smiled, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.
"Thanks, Rumple. It's perfect. Now come on, eat before it gets cold."
And with a touch of her hand to his all he could do was obey her beckon, sitting across from his son, who was smiling smugly at his flabbergasted father.