Childish Wants - Rumpelstiltkin POV

By: RosexKnight

Bonus! "Childish Wants" from Rumple's point of view as requested by anon.

Something was wrong.

Rumpelstiltskin had entered the grand hall to see Belle kneeled before his son, who looked rather confused.

Something was definitely wrong.

"Is everything alright?"

His voice seemed to snap Belle out of whatever she'd been focused on, and she rose too quickly, holding a porcelain cup in her hand.

"Fine. I just dropped a teacup."

Was her smile forced? "Well I hope you didn't chip this one."

"No, no. Let me just, I'll go get the rest of the pastries."

Utter confusion was not something Rumpelstiltskin was accustomed to experiencing before he'd brought Belle back into his life, but as she fled from the room he felt it coil in his belly along with fear. Because it was always fear. Would she leave? Was she telling Bae she was going to so that he wasn't too sad? What had he done to cause that?

"Papa?"

Bae was already sitting at the table with his tea. Rumpelstiltskin blinked, moving to sit across from him as he always did.

"Everything is alright…isn't it Bae?"

The boy smiled, and thankfully his didn't look nearly as forced as Belle's did. "Of course, Papa. Don't worry."

Well. He certainly knew better than that.

As his princess came back with the rest of the pastries and served tea, giving him two extra pastries than she gave to Bae or herself, he could have swore they shared a look. A look that he was not sure how to feel about.

He had to get to the bottom of this. His mind was racing with too many questions. Did Belle want to leave? Could he let her go? What had he done to drive her away? What would Bae do without her? What would he do without her?

And when had he started thinking of her as his princess?

Later, when Bae had been put to bed and Belle was reading by the fire he asked.

"Is everything okay dearie?" He'd stopped spining completely, unable to focus on anything but keeping his hands from shaking as the words came out. "It's just…you've been out of sorts since tea."

She seemed to pause. "Baelfire asked for something today. From me because he didn't want you dealing for it."

Oh was that all? "What does he want? I can get it for him." He'd bottle the moon's reflection if his son wanted it. "Surely I have enough gold to buy whatever it is." If not he could deal secretly. "We can surprise him. It can be from both of us." She seemed to be focused on something that wasn't his words. "Come, Belle name it and it shall be his."

"He wants a little sister."

The spinner went still, his body growing cold. His eyes watched hers for any changes. Anything at all that would indicate she was…She couldn't have been insinuating they…though it wasn't as if they hadn't before but that was when he wasn't…

"Ah." Was all he could say before stumbling away without meaning to. He needed to calm down. To rationalize this. "Of course. Most children his age want siblings. It's only natural."

Their eyes never left each others, and there was an odd weight to it all, as if they were both tense cats waiting for the other's move. Searching each other like they could see their very soul.

It scared him to death.

"What did you tell him?" Rumpelstiltskin choked out.

His princess paused again before clearing her throat "I told him that in order for there to be a mama there has to be a papa too. And that the papa has to be someone the mama loves."

"Ah." So that was it. His fears were true. She'd leave them. He couldn't help but wring his hands, hoping she couldn't hear how his heart pounded and squeezed. How his voice trembled and cracked. "And you…I…would you…want to be a mama?"

"Perhaps some day."

"Would you want to go, Belle? And…and find someone…" His voice trailed off, unable to finish. He couldn't look at her "Love?"

He'd let her go, he realized. He'd have to. He couldn't deny her that no matter how angry it made him. He'd let her go and explain to Bae months later why Belle wasn't coming back and how a little sister would take more time. Alot more time.

But then a smile quirked at her lips, and just like that he was back in his cottage, leaning on his staff and Belle was a beautiful princess gracing him with her presence. Unthinkably treating him as an equal.

"I wouldn't need to go to do that."

Rumpelstiltskin felt a weight lift off his shoulders, and as Belle reached for him and he went to her, he realized that, really, nothing had changed.