The Work of Dreams
By: RosexKnight
Anon Prompted: "Love me!... Why?" (Quote from Much Ado About Nothing)
The first time it was an accident he was sure.
Belle was sleepy, dozing in a chair by the fire. She'd protested when he tried to rouse her to help her to her room, so he really had no choice but to cover her with a blanket and go back to his spinning.
But she'd stirred, leaning into his touch for a moment and mumbling three words he knew had to be a mistake. She was dreaming. That was it. Dreaming of some far-off prince and not…him.
The second time, though. It was less mistakable. Of course, perhaps he'd just heard her wrong.
The Dark One was bidding his son and Princess farewell. A deal would call him away, far away for a few days. Not a problem, he assured them just as much as himself. And then Belle had embraced him, holding him tightly for a moment before telling him to be careful and blurting those damn three words.
He quickly fled like the coward he was, unable to look her in the eye at all as she let him go.
The third time, though…
"Rumple?"
He looked up from his spinning wheel to her. She was wearing nothing but her silk sleeping gown. Even her feet were bare.
"Hello, dearie. Awfully late for a midnight stroll."
"I…I couldn't sleep." She admitted, cautiously, almost timidly, walking over to him. "I didn't know you were back. How was Camelot?"
"Fine. A simple deal, really. Barely worth my time."
His eyes wandered over her for a moment before going back to his spinning. It was all too familiar. He must have been dreaming. Yes. That was it. He'd dozed, and now he was dreaming.
"Rumple?" Still he didn't look at her, and he cursed the trembling in his hands. "Rumpelstiltskin look at me."
The royal authority had found its way back into her voice, and he immediately did as his princess wished. After all when had he not done so? He might have power now. He may have been The Dark One. But Belle knew better, and he knew she did. She could see the spinner. Always had.
Her eyes coaxed his gaze to her as she sat down beside him. She searched for a moment, hands fidgeting awkwardly before coming up to find his hair.
"I love you."
There was no trepidation in Belle's voice, but still he trembled. Shaking his head, he tried to shy away, but she held him in place.
"I'm dreaming." He concluded. "Just like before."
"You know you're not." She said, and her features seemed to drop. "Why are you afraid that I love you?"
He could only scoff. "Love me! Why?"
"Because…" She wavered, "Because you are Rumpelstiltskin. My spinner. You've always been to me."
"A coward. And now a monster. I am not fit for a princess, milady."
She laughed, giggling as she always did. Because somehow she always thought he was wrong about himself. Her hand did not leave his hair, instead coming down to caress his cheek. And just like that he froze, unable to do anything but look at her and swallow as she touched him.
When her voice did come, it was soft and almost fearful. "Don't make me be a princess anymore. Not with the man I love." She paused, and pulled away as if his skin suddenly burned him. "Do you not feel the same?"
He blinked, shaking his head. "That's not it at all. I just…"
His voice trailed off, but Belle gave him a smile. "Kiss me?"
He hesitated, because it wasn't a command. But her hand was on his. And even though he was pretty sure he was dreaming, because it wasn't quite the same as before in his old home, How could he fight that?