Belle had always thought that becoming a woman would change her perception of the world; that she'd somehow become wiser, perhaps a little more serious and balanced. That she would acquire the aura of dignity and quiet grace the married and older ladies carried around them. Yet when she opened her eyes the next morning – it had to be morning; the thin grey light coming through the gap between the window shutters was surely borne by the first sunrays of dawn – she did not feel a bit different apart from feeling the need to smile constantly. She couldn't quite explain why that grin was on her face, pulling the corners of her mouth upwards but it seemed impossible to get rid off it. It wasn't a knowing smile, or a saucy one. She merely felt happy.

The books warned her there would be pain and blood but there was neither; however, it did nothing to prepare her for how much stronger she'd feel attached to the man. Belle's chest was swollen with tenderness and incredible warmth, the force of which frightened her a bit. But she didn't even try to hold back on her feelings; her only concern was not to show too much of those emotions to Rumpelstiltskin because they'd definitely drive him away.

As her glance shifted to the man sleeping beside her, Belle's smile widened and she wondered if her cheeks would hurt later from it. It was hard to perceive that the most feared and despised man of the kingdoms, the Dark One everybody used to scare their children with, was capable of communicating so much affection and care through his touch. Was there anyone who'd ever seen this side of him? Had anyone even tried to glance beyond the armour of his scowls, sharp words and imposing clothes? Would there be anyone else besides her willing to uncover his true nature? Belle felt a pang of jealousy at the thought. She realized she did not want that to happen, just as a night ago Rumpelstiltskin asked her if she was his, she wanted the sorcerer to belong to her only, both body and soul. She was surprised she felt so possessive all of a sudden, but her mind darkly insisted she had every right to think of him as hers. Should there be anyone else intruding, she was ready to fight.

But did he feel the same way? What if he didn't enjoy being with her as much as Belle liked it? He seemed quite pleased with their love-making in spite of her lack of experience, but she felt so ordinary compared to him; would just a plain girl like her be enough for him? Involuntarily, her mind projected a picture of Regina – confident, stunning, dark. Belle felt so bleak and bland compared to her. Perhaps that woman would be a better match for him; her intuition prompted her that those two shared some unspoken common past and Regina knew so much of magic. They could talk about so many things, discuss spells or create new ones. All Belle could offer up in conversation was her childhood adventures and stories she read in her books.

Rumpelstiltskin was sleeping on his back, oblivious to her troubled thoughts. His mouth was slightly ajar and his hand was clenching the sheets to his chest. Sleep made him look younger, more relaxed and peaceful, his frown lines smoothed out and the usual solemnity gone from his face. Belle shifted closer to him, but the man did not wake up. She tugged on the sheets, releasing them from his clasp and pulled them down, exposing the right side of his chest. His skin looked almost smooth in the dim light cast by the nearly burnt-out candles and the grey streak of an early-spring sunrise. She pulled the sheets down below his navel, pausing to have a better look at him. Rumpelstiltskin stirred in his sleep but did not wake up. She knew he'd never allow her to gaze at him openly like this if he were awake; he'd make an excuse to cover himself or distract her with his kisses and touches.

Belle saw no reason for him to be ashamed of his body. It wasn't like she had seen too many naked men, but occasionally she did spot a worker in a field with just his trousers on or watch the boys practicing sword-fighting without their constraining shirts. Rumpelstiltskin's form was more subtle. He was lean and not too broadly-shouldered, but she could see the wiry muscles in his upper arms. She carefully placed her hand on his chest, moving it in small circles. His skin was warm to the touch and slightly rough. Belle let her fingers trace randomly the pattern of scales, wondering what it felt like for him. Was his skin more sensitive than hers, or was he unresponsive to such light touches? Well, he did seem to enjoy being touched, so perhaps the scales did not matter. Thinking about where Rumpelstiltskin particularly enjoyed being touched, her gaze wandered lower, down his slabsided stomach and followed the trail of coarse hairs disappearing beneath the sheets.

Belle hesitated for a second. She wanted to give into her curiosity and explore that part of his anatomy; surely he'd not be upset if she did so while he was asleep? He told her before to do as she pleased but his mood changed faster than the summer sky. Finally her curiosity won. Belle pulled the obscuring sheet completely off him; if he could study her naked body, it would be only fair to do the same to him. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his cock, which lay flaccid and small against his hip. Belle curled her fingers around it and the flesh responded in an instant, thickening as the blood rushed to it. With a surprised oh she looked up at his face only to find Rumpelstiltskin watching her quietly, now fully awake.

"Insatiable little minx, are you not?" he drawled in a low voice and Belle blushed, not sure if that was a compliment or an accusation. She wrapped her hand around his cock again, now semi-hard and gave it a several strokes, enjoying the content sigh that escaped his lips. Before she could do anymore, though, his hands pulled her upwards and he hooked his long fingers under her chin, making her meet his eyes.

"How are you feeling, darling?" the man asked seriously, watching her eyes in case she decided to hide the truth from him.

Frankly, Belle did not know how to answer that simple question. Physically, she felt superb, but she wasn't sure if she should tell him about the doubts gnawing on her heart.

"I am fine," she replied, deciding it was the condition of her body Rumpelstiltskin was interested in. She looked him directly in the eye; somehow her answer did not satisfy him fully. Did he expect her to regret what happened the previous night?

"I am fine," Belle repeated firmly, moving down to close the distance between them and give him a kiss. Unfortunately, her stomach chose that exact moment to give an angry rumble. She pulled away, slightly embarrassed, but the man only smiled at her.

"Would you like some breakfast, sweetheart?" he enquired, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and stroking the pad of his thumb on her cheek.

Belle grinned at the endearment and shook her head in a no. She cuddled to the man, putting her head on his shoulder and smiling again, as his arm wrapped around her back, pulling him closer. She did not feel ready to leave the cosy bed for the morning meal. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to read her mind.

"I could summon something in here," he offered.

Belle sighed and agreed to that. As a large plate full of fresh fluffy pancakes with small bowls of cream, honey and jam appeared between them, she wondered if they would ever get out of the bedroom. It seemed to her everything she needed for life, everything she required for happiness was conveniently located just in this very bed.