star_kingdom | deal 006 ❖ [video]

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deal 006 ❖ [video]

[The video is on. But Rumpelstiltskin is unaware of this, largely because it was turned on as it was flung against a wall.

He's having a bit of a tantrum. These are, thankfully, quite rare, but also quite violent. There is broken glass strewn about, vials and bottles shattered and small pools of variously colored liquids.]

Useless! All of this entirely useless. How is it there's not one pair in true love in this entire mess of an existence?!

[It's about here his eyes fall on his communicator and he realizes he's being watched. He straightens up a bit, schools his face into a bit of a smile. Tense around the edges, pulled a bit too taut over his features.]

Well dearies, sorry you had to see that. Call it a bit of frustration and homesickness. I suppose perhaps while I have some of your attention, I should make the most of it. What is the happiest memory you have? What would you be willing to sacrifice to reclaim it?

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What reasons then?

[He's looking at his little table and seeing what's salvageable from his tantrum. Such a mess.]

There's little to speak of. I've failed again. The strongest magic I know and I can't quite harness it in this place. I had it in my hands back home, and now nothing. Not a single suitable source for it!

[He's getting a bit angry again, frustration clear on his face.]

I ... like to think that being one of a kind is better than being like many of the same.

( she winces at his words. that tone is getting sharper again, bitterness and anger — a soft sigh passes her lips and to distract herself from his being upset, she begins to pick up some of the mess around )

What kind of magic are you trying to get control of?

Do you really, Belle? Well, I am not like many of the same. Though I'm not the first to bear this curse.

[He pauses at the question and all at once he's laughing.] True love, of course!

[He glances away, because he recognizes the irony of it, considering how he reacted when true love nearly broke the curse that he's under.]

You may not be the first, but you're certainly the first I've met.

( it sort of stuns her into silence. he wants to harness the power of true love, something she assumes still lingers within herself for him. slowly, her brow knits into a frown )

I see. ( her tone is stiff, not completely understanding and yet somehow almost bitter )

[Oh he's all too quick to pick up on her tone. And he can't blame her.] I imagine it may help us get home.

After all, true love can break any curse! [He singsongs with a flourish, before his forehead furrows a bit.] A lesson I learned quite well, reacted quite harshly to.

But then... [He shrugs oh so very casually. All an act, and he's not the fantastic actor he thinks he is.] I've had some time to think it over, since.

[He's quiet a long moment before just coming out with it.] I love you, Belle. [Something he'd stopped fooling himself about that moment when Regina delivered news of her death.] But even that can't change the fact that I'm a monster.

True love will help us get home. ( she can't help but to laugh at the irony. it's by no means a happy sort of laugh. joyless, it comes to an end rather abruptly as she presses her lips together to form a thin line as though she's biting her tongue on saying something further to him, what that might be, he's left to imagine.

frown upon her face still, she turns her head to look away from him. to say that he reacted harshly was very nearly putting it a bit too gently. Belle however, being the silly and foolish girl she is, hasn't voiced taking much more issue with it than she already had the day she left his castle. and it was as though she had even forgave him, wasn't it? perhaps she had, still, there were moments such as this one in which she couldn't help but to feel scorned just a little bit.

nothing, however, can prepare her to hear the words that leave his mouth in that moment. her chest constricts and all breath is gone from her lungs. dizzily, she lifts her head almost too quickly to look in his direction and while she means to, she cannot hide the completely shocked expression on her face. now, it's true that she knew he had to feel something akin to love back for her in order for the curse to have even broken a little bit, he's never said it before — he'd never given himself the chance to do so in the first place )

Y, You—

( what should be a happy moment is leaving her feeling brokenhearted and despairing all over again. swallowing a dry lump in her throat, she hears her footsteps rather than feels them as she moves toward him, a sort of numbness spreading through her body.

she doesn't even voice a reply to his confession, a part of her very much wants to but the reasonable side of her mind reminds her that it likely wouldn't help in this situation, no matter how much she wants it to )

You aren't a monster. ( her voice is quiet ) Monsters don't often love, Rumpelstiltskin. There is hope yet.

In theory... deary. [Sorry. The rhyme was far too tempting to pass up. But he hesitates in speaking any more when he sees her expression. Yes, well. He doesn't really know what to expect from her in this.

He's been considering it for a long time, that moment when he sent her from his castle, to her death. It's one of two mistakes that haunt him, that fill his vision whenever he closes his eyes. Watching Belle disappear. Watching Bae disappear. And both times because of his own cowardice.

Well, at least he's somewhat self aware. He watches as she steps over towards him.]

Hope? [He echoes. And he hesitates just a moment before reaching a hand out to settle against her cheek.] I fear hope will only get you hurt, Belle, that it's nothing but a height to fall from. We both know what I am.

Hope. ( because it certainly wasn't said enough, she'll say it once more. her skin prickles with little goosebumps under his touch the same way that it always does.

gently, she shakes her head against his palm ) I know what you are and what sort of trouble follows you, but still I love you.

( lifting a hand of her own, she places it upon his against her cheek and steps in closer to him, closing what little gap remains between them both )

Everybody gets hurt from time to time, Rumpelstiltskin, I can handle a little bit of it every now and again. You fret too much of me.

[Rumplestiltskin has heard the words before. But still, there's a moment where his heart stops beating entirely before starting up a bit quicker.

His thumb grazes gently -- remarkably gently for any who know him, perhaps, remarkable that he's even capable of it -- along her cheekbone.]

Do I now? Well, I don't for anyone else, so I'm getting it all out in one place.

[He sighs a little.] You really are an odd girl.

[Here he hesitates, looking a little uncertain before he leans in and presses a kiss to her forehead.]

( a shiver crawls along her spine from the all too soft touch at her cheek, his gentleness is a rarity that she's all too willing to have aimed at herself. were she but just a little more daring, she would return the favor. instead, she chooses to simply take in the brief moment of tenderness with him

her lips pull into a small, soft smile directed toward the 'monster' standing before her, calling her an oddity ) Normal is too overrated anyway.

( her cheeks flush to a bright red and closing her eyes, she savors his little kiss — brief as it was, it's more than she could ever ask for from him, truly )

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deal 006 ❖ [video]

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