mr. gold pawnbroker & antiquities dealer

[sticktomybooks]

Belle is dusting the shop. Rumple has such a lovely collection but he only occasionally remembers to clean it. Having started, she can see why he avoids the task- there's all sorts of small, delicate pieces that accumulate just horrific amounts of dust- but she refuses to let that stop her. The shop is entirely too dusty, and she is going to fix it.

It's something to do, at least. She doesn't need to be in the library for another hour or so, and Rumple's gone off somewhere again. She suspects he's getting her a present again. She keeps telling him he doesn't need to buy her things, she loves him just the same, but the fact that he thinks to buy her gifts makes her so happy she hasn't really made him stop.

She's free, she's found Rumple, he loves her, she loves him. Life is good. And right now, at this second- this shop is going to be spotless.

She moves onto the next piece, humming to herself in contentment.

Comments

[blooded_poet]

"I prefer Lynn," she shrugs. "Lynnari is somewhat painfully long. And - 'dearie'?"

[made_not_born]

"Lynn it is. Don't mind Rumple, he calls everyone that. He thinks it's cute."

[mask_of_the_monster]

"Oh but it is, dearie."

[sticktomybooks]

Belle seems to be willing to venture outside now. She sticks close to Rumple. She is very determinedly looking at Lynn; she seems rather too embarrassed to look at Adarin at the moment.

[made_not_born]

Regina ignores her. "So. Lynn. Not-Rumplestiltskin. Adarin, I think it was? I'd appreciate an explanation of more than ten words...? You claim to be doing magic, but it's nothing I recognize. And Gold and I are rather well known experts on the subject."

[darkest_evening]

"Adarin's correct. I'm not doing magic right this second, but I did just do it. And. Quite well known experts? What's your magic like? I'm assuming it's different."

[blooded_poet]

"If this ends in another invasion, pretty boy, I am coming after you," mutters Lynn.

[darkest_evening]

"Thank you. You're welcome for the life saving, I can tell how very grateful you are about it, you really should tone down the gratitude, I didn't do that much. But, hold on, it's almost like learning about other types of magic might get us home faster."

[blooded_poet]

"Point."

[darkest_evening]

"Apologies," he drawls. "Anyway. Your magic? Mine is somewhat hard to explain, but I definitely can't share it."

[sticktomybooks]

"You don't want it," Belle says firmly. "It's terrible, they stopped using it, it's-"

[mask_of_the_monster]

"Magic always comes with a price," Rumplestiltskin says, just as firmly.

[blooded_poet]

"How utterly charming," sighs Lynn. "And unsurprising."

[darkest_evening]

"Ours isn't terrible, but it has major drawbacks."

[blooded_poet]

"I disagree," declares his companion. "It's unreliable. I don't like it."

[made_not_born]

"Ours is reliable, I suppose," Regina says. "But it has something of a poor reputation."

Like how ovens are slightly warm. Like that.

"Also..." she arches an eyebrow at Lynn. "Pretty boy?"

[blooded_poet]

"Three hundred years ago or so, when I first met him, he had long flowing white hair and also was noticeably attractive."

[darkest_evening]

[blooded_poet]

"You were! Not to mention the women flinging themselves at you."

[darkest_evening]

"Ours helps with longevity," says Adarin, ignoring Lynn. "It's not so much unreliable, as renewable but finite. So, if you don't plan accordingly, you often won't have any magic to work with when you need it."

[mask_of_the_monster]

"I find myself rather disturbed by the turn the conversation has taken," Gold remarks.

[sticktomybooks]

Belle grins. "I'm sure you were very pretty when you were young too," she half-soothes, half-laughs.

[mask_of_the_monster]

"And that's why you were throwing yourself at him when I arrived, is it?"

[sticktomybooks]

"I thought you were cursed! True love's kiss breaks curses!" She cuddles up to him. "I love you, Rumple, you know that."

"...also. Sorry," she adds in an embarrassed aside to Adarin.

[mask_of_the_monster]

"Just teasing, love."