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Moving silently through the house, Belle tried to ignore her pounding heart and her quick breath as she set about locking the place down. Really, she was only double-checking that everything was still locked. Rumple tended to keep everything but the front door bolted at all times, so it was a simple thing for her to do a walkthrough.
When he’d left her to rescue Henry, she’d been devastated. The idea of being separated again was almost too much to bear. Frustration had welled up in her when she’d been forced to stay behind. Rumple had tasked her with protecting Storybrooke, and for a moment, she'd wanted to throw the responsibility back at him. It was childish of her to be upset, and now that she’d had time to think on his actions, she understood. She was the only one he could trust to avoid taking advantage of the power concealed within the spell.
Of course, Belle hadn’t realised any of that until the point where the secondary note hidden within the spell had appeared. His message had only revealed itself after she had cast the protection spell, and she had a feeling that it wouldn’t have done so if she had pushed the task upon anyone else. The note was addressed solely to her, and she felt a bit guilty that she’d hidden it in her coat pocket when the others had tried to see what it was. The first line had advised discretion, telling her to tuck it away until she could be alone.
She wanted to read the whole thing then and there, feeling Rumple’s absence sharply, and perhaps wanting to read it just out of spite for him leaving, but she’d obeyed him. He had always been careful with his words, and she knew that he wouldn’t give warning if there wasn’t a reason for it. The scrap of parchment had burned in her pocket until she’d slammed the door to his house behind her and scrambled to get it out. She’d unrolled it quickly, her teeth worrying her lower lip as her gaze devoured the ink.
His wiry scrawl filled her with an odd longing she didn’t know one could get from looking at handwriting and, having retained nothing in her excitement, she’d had to read it again after the first pass.
Rumple had begun with applauding her on casting the spell successfully, mentioning that he’d have been more surprised if she’d failed. She smiled. He’d apologised for leaving her behind, seemingly justifying it to himself by commenting that she’d be safer in Storybrooke, especially with the spell in place. She’d started frowning at that, but it disappeared when she read, stop frowning now, sweetheart. I’ve never doubted that you could take care of yourself. The reason for my cautioning will soon be revealed. She laughed, unable to help it. How did he know?
He’d been specific with the next part, leaving no room for error and showing her that his first priority was her safety. His instructions told her that within the parchment was another spell of sorts. If she followed his directions, he said she’d be able to communicate with him through an extrasensory link. If she wanted to, he stressed on more than one occasion. Her physical body would remain where it was, but her consciousness would travel to his. There lurked the danger.
She would be vulnerable while she used the spell, he explained, and that was why he’d urged her to remain discreet. If anyone happened upon her body, she wouldn’t know it until she came back. She’d be defenseless. He insisted that she make doubly sure each door and window was locked before attempting the spell.
There wasn’t any doubt in Belle’s mind that she would go through with it.
She gathered the ingredients he had listed and tore off a small piece of the parchment. Everything was brewed together, and she crinkled her nose as she watched the paper turn black and dissipate in the steaming liquid. She was soon carrying a very odd cup of tea to their room. It smelt of licorice and mint—its only redeeming quality. She had to force herself to swallow it when it hit her tongue. It didn’t taste like licorice and mint. It tasted like old boots. She suspected the scent had been a trick to coax her into drinking it.
The instructions had specified that it would only take one mouthful, so she set the mug down and settled back against the pillows, her lashes fluttering before her back even hit the cool silk.
--
When she opened her eyes, trees surrounded her. Rumple sat quietly before her on a fallen tree, his elbows upon his knees and his eyes closed. She had to take a moment to study him, garbed in his old leathers. Thrown back to the past at the sight, she felt like that young woman again, the one who had stood undaunted in the face of The Dark One. The one who had told him that she’d deal with him to save her village. The one who had fallen in love with him.
He now looked more severe than the often frivolous imp she’d known so many years ago, but the look still suited him. Part of her had been disappointed with the new world’s lack of leather breeches when she’d regained her memories. Rumple always did fill those out rather nicely, and she’d thought she’d never see him in leather again. Though the circumstances were less than favourable, she couldn’t help but appreciate the way the leather clung to his thighs.
Quietly, Belle padded over to him. She could feel dirt and rocks under her bare feet, but she wasn’t bothered, her attention uniquely focused on her man and the furrow in his brow. His posture was tense despite his relaxed appearance at first glance. When she reached him, she gently cupped his cheeks, feeling that familiar stubble brush against her palms. She was unsurprised at his vice grip on her wrists as his dark eyes flew open in alarm.
He looked crazed, his hands tight enough to hurt before those wild eyes found hers. He stared at her for a long moment as if he couldn’t see her, his teeth bared and his gold tooth glinting in the dim light. She wasn’t afraid. He wouldn’t hurt her. It took a moment longer, but then he froze. “Belle?” he whispered, his voice cracking.
She inclined her head, smiling slowly. “Yes.” Her thumbs stroked over his cheekbones, and he melted, dropping her wrists and surging forward to wrap his arms around her waist, hauling her to stand between his spread knees. She steadied herself by dropping one hand to the hard leather encasing his shoulder while the other slid under his stiff collar and around to cup the back of his neck.
“Belle,” he repeated, his arms tight around her as he buried his face against her. “Gods, Belle.”
She was silent as he clung to her, her fingers gently toying with the hair at the back of his neck as she simply stood in his embrace. He was taking deep, shaking breaths, and she could feel his chest heaving against her.
“Oh, Rumple,” she whispered, leaning back just enough to tip his face up, her hands cupping his cheeks again. The way his mouth trembled at the corners made her want to sweep him up in her arms and never let him go. She may just do that anyway. “What happened?”
His eyes were glassy, but he stared at her in something akin to awe. “You’re here.” He shook his head and gave her a wobbly little smile. “It doesn’t matter.” His hand came up and he gripped the back of her neck gently, pulling her down so that he could meld their lips together. He was avoiding her question, but she didn’t push. She knew how fractured his heart was, and the idea of deepening those fissures with incessant questions didn’t appeal to her. She hadn’t come to hurt him.
She kissed him back, and it was soft and sweet, their lips just brushing, and her knees trembled at the infinite care he took with her, almost as though he couldn’t believe she’d come. She rested her forehead against his, smiling softly as he gazed up at her. Smoothly, he guided her to sit upon his thigh. His eyes raked over her for the first time, and she heard him make a low noise in the back of his throat as his hands settled upon her thigh and waist.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he breathed, stroking a thumb over her ribs through the fabric of her nightgown.
“I didn’t know I was going to show up like this,” she admitted sheepishly, blushing but pleased with his reaction. She’d assumed it would be like a dream, the thought of dressing appropriately never even crossing her mind. She bit down on her lip and stroked her fingertips along the exposed skin of his chest. “You’re not any better.”
That startled a chuckle out of him. “Belle, I’m completely covered.”
“In leather,” she purred, raking her nail down the middle of his chest. He shivered as she poked her finger under the material of his shirt. She kissed his cheek, trailing her lips over his face until she could kiss his nose. “I miss the leather.” He gave her a funny look that made her roll her eyes as he tipped his head back to touch his lips to hers. “Just take my word for it.”
“Only if you kiss me again,” he breathed, lips parted and begging to be tasted. It would take a much stronger woman than Belle to resist shaping her lips over his. His tongue was hot as he pushed into her mouth, and she moaned at the taste of him, her own tongue flirting with his. She pulled at his hair, revelling in the low noises he made as they cherished each other before burying both her hands in the silky locks.
Belle squirmed on his thigh, trying to find leverage, but he only locked an arm around her waist, holding her close while his free hand skimmed up and closed over her breast. He swallowed her moan as she arched into him before rolling her nipple between his fingers through the silk of her nightgown.
“Rumple,” she whispered against his lips, raking her nails over his neck. “How is this even working?”
“Hm?” he mumbled, moving his lips to her neck to make up for her taking her lips away from him. She shivered at his warm breath against her skin as he nuzzled against her, his mouth moving languidly over the column of her neck.
“H-how are we doing this if I’m only here in thought?” she gasped, digging her nails into him as he found a particularly sensitive spot just under her jaw.
“You’re in my head,” he muttered, as though he couldn’t be bothered to explain it when he had more important things to focus on. She could ask him about it some other time. He passed the tip of his tongue along her jaw line, leaving a trail of moisture that cooled quickly and added to her shivers. When he blew on the moist skin, she couldn’t stop her gasp. She pressed her thighs together tightly and squirmed, trying to alleviate some of the pressure building at her core.
It was hard to concentrate with his mouth on her, and she whimpered when the hand on her breast slid down her torso smoothly, his fingers bumping down her ribs, running down her thigh, and finally coming back around her knee and up the inside of her leg. His palm was rough against her skin, and her knees parted for him on instinct, her body eager to receive his touch. He dragged her nightgown up with his other hand, and she inhaled sharply as cool air hit her heated flesh.
She heard him make a strangled noise, and she opened her eyes to see him looking down with wide eyes. She followed his gaze and remembered all at once that she’d forgone knickers. She’d almost forgone any clothing at all, and she wondered how he would have reacted to her showing up naked. “You are trying to kill me,” he accused, his voice nothing more than a rumble as he swept his hand up the rest of the way. He cupped her firmly between the legs, and her hips bucked as he ground his palm up against her clit. He passed the tip of a finger between her folds, and she could feel her own wetness coating him.
He was nearly vibrating under her, and when she slipped a hand down to grip his upper arm, the muscles there tensed under her grip. He bent his head, twisting his body so that he could wrap his lips around her nipple. He licked her through the silk, and as he drew her into his mouth, two fingers pushed into her below. She nearly flew out of his lap at that, her back arching, her hands clawing at his arm and hair as the one arm around her back kept her perched sideways on his thigh. The leather under her was hot from both their heat, and her head fell back when he started moving his hand. His teeth pulled at her nipple, and her body was going into sensory overload. Her hips immediately began rocking against his hand, seeking the release her body knew he would give her.
“Yes. That’s it,” he encouraged as she rode his hand. He pulled his head back and she knew he was watching her. She gazed at him for a moment, getting lost in the arousal that darkened his eyes to black pools before her own lids squeezed shut. Her breaths became shorter and her toes started to curl as the pressure mounted. “Come for me, sweetheart,” he breathed, curling his fingertips just so as he pumped them, grinding his palm harder against her clit, breathing nonsense in her ear in that sinfully low purr, until she was jerking in his grasp, her hips pressing down hard and her shout being drowned by Rumple’s mouth covering her own.
He kept pumping his hand, and she had to push him away when it became too much, whimpering into his mouth as she shoved at his wrist. He chuckled, and she could hear the smugness in the sound as he pulled back from the kiss. She panted softly before a breathless noise left her when he brought his hand up to his mouth and licked at his fingers, his eyes locked on hers as he did it. The heat rose to her cheeks, but she couldn’t deny her desire stirring back to a raging fire as he lapped at the wetness coating his fingers as if it were his favourite treat.
Unable to wait, she stood from his lap. Her legs shook as she steadied herself by bracing her hands on his thighs. She ignored him as she focused on unlacing his trousers. The bulge there had tightened the laces and she wanted to swear as she fumbled with the knot.
“Rumple,” she whimpered, looking up at him imploringly.
He was smiling at her as he reached down, his fingers deftly freeing his cock from the confines of his leather. When his flesh was bared to her, Belle couldn’t resist reaching out to touch him. The skin was smooth and hot under her fingers, and he moaned as she fisted her hand around his cock. She pumped him once, but his hand was pulling hers away before she could do anything more.
Rumple gave her no chance to protest as his hands on her hips turned her. He cupped her arse, giving her an appreciative little squeeze before wrapping an arm around her hips and pulling her down so that her back was flush against his chest. She planted her feet between his in the dirt and leaned forward, shivering as she felt him reach between them. When she sat back again, his cock slid inside her smoothly, stretching her in the most delicious way.
She twined her fingers with the ones he had on her abdomen and hooked a leg over one of his thighs as they began to move together. She knew it would be quick and hard, and his hips snapping up against her each time she came back down on him made her see stars. His teeth were sharp on her neck, but she loved it, loved the bruises she knew would cover her skin as he sucked and nipped and licked, hips driving him deep, one hand tight on her hip, the other bringing their twined fingers down to fondle her clit. She jerked, biting down on her lip until she was sure she tasted blood.
Her own free hand reached down lower, and the noise he made as she cupped his balls drove her over the edge. He followed after her as she squeezed him with both her hand and clenching muscles, and she felt him drive into her one last time as they both succumbed to bliss.
Belle collapsed against him, her breath coming fast as he slid out of her. She laughed when Rumple pressed a kiss just behind her ear. “I didn’t expect this when I gave you that spell,” he chuckled breathlessly.
She leaned her head back against his shoulder and sighed when he bent his head to kiss her lightly. They were both breathing hard against the other’s lips. “Really, dearie?” she asked, quirking her brow at him.
He stared at her for a long moment before a low laugh left him at her tone. “Mmm, so smug now you’ve gotten off, hm?” His fingers passed lazily over her ribs, gently smoothing the material of her nightgown over her skin. It felt good to be petted, and her head rolled back against his shoulder sleepily.
“One of us has to be—“ her breath caught as she stared at her hand. “Rumple?”
“The spell is wearing off,” he said regretfully, passing his fingers through hers without being able to touch her. He sighed, dropping his head to her shoulder. That was still solid.
“No!” she protested. She didn't want to leave yet! Her shout died in her throat as she was lifted bodily away from him. She tried to reach out, but both her hands were ghostly now. Rumple looked as upset as he had when she’d first arrived, and he gave her the saddest smile she’d ever seen.
“Come back tomorrow?” he whispered.
She was in their bed before she could give him her answer.