Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“And that,” Rumpelstiltskin sighed deeply, “is exactly why you have to go.  Terrible things happen to the people I care about.  You’ve learned that first hand.  ”

Belle finished with the carrots and looked for the large cast iron pot to start adding ingredients. She realized she hadn’t filled it with water.  Finding two buckets by the kitchen door she said, “I’m going to get the water.”  She knew she was being stubborn, but Belle had to think of a different tactic to get him to realize what he was throwing away.  She loved him so much she couldn’t fathom any sort of life without him.  Their once kiss had not only begun to transform him, but it changed her completely. She could no more imagine living life without him, now that she had him back, then losing a limb.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded wordlessly, knowing perfectly well now that telling her to rest and let him make dinner was useless.

ooc: I think everyone I was talking to already went offline, but in case I’m wrong, I’m going to head to bed.  Night!

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“Belle, I’m not asking you.  You can’t stay here, I’m dangerous.”

She turned back to chopping carrots and was silent for a moment.  Belle almost considered giving him the silent treatment again, but she decided that tactic wasn’t fair, even if it did draw him out.  Her stomach growled loudly and she hoped he hadn’t heard.  “Not to me,” she said with conviction. “You love me.”

“And that,” Rumpelstiltskin sighed deeply, “is exactly why you have to go.  Terrible things happen to the people I care about.  You’ve learned that first hand.  ”

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“I’m going to arm you with magic that will shield you from those who wish you ill,” Rumpelstiltskin told her.  ”Charms against magic, spells to transport you away from danger, that sort of thing.  And I will pay the price.”

“No.” Belle said firmly.

“Belle, I’m not asking you.  You can’t stay here, I’m dangerous.”

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“This time, I’ll make sure you’re protected,” Rumpelstiltskin promised.  ”No one is going to harm you again.  But that includes me.”

“And how do you expect to do that?” She asked reasonably.  “Are you going to screen every town before I enter?  Question every suitor?  Or do you expect me to spend my days alone in a remote location?”

“I’m going to arm you with magic that will shield you from those who wish you ill,” Rumpelstiltskin told her.  ”Charms against magic, spells to transport you away from danger, that sort of thing.  And I will pay the price.”

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“But I’m the last thing you need,” he said darkly.

Belle cupped his face with both hands now, food absolutely forgotten. “What do you think will become of me if you throw me out?”

“This time, I’ll make sure you’re protected,” Rumpelstiltskin promised.  ”No one is going to harm you again.  But that includes me.”

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

Rumpelstiltskin tensed under her touch.  ”You would have been so much better off if I’d just taken the gold…” he whispered.

Belle shook her head, “You don’t need gold, Rumple.  You bargained for the thing you did need….me.”

“But I’m the last thing you need,” he said darkly.

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“If I hadn’t forced you to come here, you wouldn’t have lost everything,” he insisted.  ”If I’d made sure you were taken care of instead of just throwing you out, you wouldn’t have been taken.”

Belle was dumbfounded, “Haven’t you been paying attention, Rumple?  I chose to come here.  And it was the right choice.” She placed her palm gently to the cheek she had just slapped, “And I chose to return to my father, where I was thrown in the dungeon…while standing in my own Papa’s throne room.”  What had happened to her beloved, that made him take on burdens that were not exclusively his?

Rumpelstiltskin tensed under her touch.  ”You would have been so much better off if I’d just taken the gold…” he whispered.

“Do you believe that?” Rumpelstiltskin asked curiously, not accusing or mocking.

“Kind of.” She said with a shrug, “I like to believe fate gives me this… life so one day I’ll get rewarded with a better one.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m… a better life… exactly,” Rumpelstiltskin said, blushing.

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

“You have no idea of the life I subjected my son to, even before I lost him,” Rumpelstiltskin hissed.  ”He was the only happiness I’ve ever known, and my cowardice condemned him to a life of abject misery.  I knew I couldn’t provide for him as he needed, and that guilt haunted me every moment of my life.  And you… look what happened to you because of me!”

“And did what happened to me because of you?” Belle challenged.  She was not going to let him blame himself, when she was just as much to blame (and her father and the Queen moreso).

“If I hadn’t forced you to come here, you wouldn’t have lost everything,” he insisted.  ”If I’d made sure you were taken care of instead of just throwing you out, you wouldn’t have been taken.”

themilah:

adifficultmantolove:

Rumpelstiltskin blushed scarlet under her kiss. “Quite grand plans for a couple who’s only met properly today,” he noted, smiling a little.

“Hey isn’t that how these things happen?” Milah grinned at him, casting her eyes down at a stupid flutter of excitement in her chest. “Who knows. Maybe its fate.”

“Do you believe that?” Rumpelstiltskin asked curiously, not accusing or mocking.

Bring Back What Once Was Mine || belle-and-her-books

belle-and-her-books:

adifficultmantolove:

Rumpelstiltskin squealed and held his cheek.  ”Anyone else would be a snail by now, dearie,” he said shrilly, eyes flashing.

Belle held her chin up. “I’m offended you would even say nothing good has ever happened to you,” she said shaking her eyes boring into his. “If my love wasn’t enough for you that is one thing, but I saw the look on your face when you spoke of your son!” She pursed her lips, “For someone who just found out they will never be a mother, that is a terrible blow.”

“You have no idea of the life I subjected my son to, even before I lost him,” Rumpelstiltskin hissed.  ”He was the only happiness I’ve ever known, and my cowardice condemned him to a life of abject misery.  I knew I couldn’t provide for him as he needed, and that guilt haunted me every moment of my life.  And you… look what happened to you because of me!”

themilah:

adifficultmantolove:

“Then we’ll go, as soon as possible,” he promised.  ”Once the spinsters no longer need me.  We’ll run away.  Together.”

Milah grinned at the prospect, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek, smiling at him. “It sounds like the perfect adventure! We’ll start all over… It’ll be all that we dreamed.”

Rumpelstiltskin blushed scarlet under her kiss. “Quite grand plans for a couple who’s only met properly today,” he noted, smiling a little.

“I’m not everyone else.”

“Still, I’m used to being abandoned, and having promises broken.”

“Well, i’m here.. Until you get sick of me.”

Rumpelstiltskin clung to him.  ”That won’t happen any time soon.”

“Exactly,” Rumpelstiltskin said with a radiant smile.  ”And when we’re ready, we’ll settle down somewhere no one knows us.”  He caught himself.  ”I-if you want to, that is.”

Milah almost laughed at his words, but she caught herself, because truthfully that didn’t sound half bad. In fact, settling down  - with him, seemed… right in weird sense. And she hoped it wasn’t just desperation to leave setting in. “I think I might like that Rumple.”

“Then we’ll go, as soon as possible,” he promised.  ”Once the spinsters no longer need me.  We’ll run away.  Together.”