Rumbelle Fanfiction

Coffee Kisses

I know rumbelle's drink is tea (iced or hot), but Coffee Kisses sounds a little cuter than Tea Kisses ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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(word count: 846)
He never sat down on the docks, let alone have any time for himself, in between his divorce with Milah, and custody rights of his son; but there he was, Mr. Gold himself, sitting down at the benches with a cup of steaming hot coffee in his almost shivering hands, with his lunch beside him. He exhaled slowly, taking the time to watch his breath dance in icy swirls. For the first time since his marriage (disregarding, of course, his son's birth), Gold felt genuinely happy. Well, maybe "happy" wasn't the word for it, but at least he wasn't unhappy.

Gold dropped his gaze to the lightly frosted floor, thinking about his son's happiest moments, which were his happiest moments, but they were soon pushed aside when a pair of long slender legs stood in his view.

"I assume this seat isn't taken?" Her voice trembled from the cold.

Gold paused as he smelled a rose scent between the soft saltiness from the sea. He raised his gaze from the floor, his brown eyes meeting Belle French's blue ones. She was the town's librarian. Gold had only met her once before while returning some of Neal's required readings from school. The meet was overall brief and friendly, which was surprising, considering how rude he is to the people of this town, especially if they weren't keeping up with rent, or was named Regina.

"No, not at all." He watched the petite brunette, she too was holding a cup of coffee, but there was a leather-bound book snug under her other arm.

"Thank you." She sat beside him, closer than he expected she would, and her foot barely brushing against his leg as she crossed her legs. Belle straightened her skirt, and placed her coffee cup on the side. She opened her book and began to read.

Gold could see her from the corner of his eye: an off-white laced blouse, paired with a dark colored mini skirt that swayed side to side if she were to walk, finished with a cream colored wool coat. Her auburn curls fluttered about her shoulders, moving with the soft winds.

Belle glanced up, and immediately Gold turned to face his lunch, praying he wasn't caught staring. He opened his brown-paper bag and retrieved his lunch, a sandwich his son made earlier this morning. Gold placed his coffee cup on the side, and took a bite of the sandwich.

Both Belle and Gold remained quiet, him, eating his lunch and looking out towards the sea with the occasional sip of coffee, and her, intently reading one of her favorite books with her occasional sip of coffee.

He had already finished the sandwich when he lifted his coffee cup for another drink. The cup had become rather light, which told him it was almost time to go back home where Milah would be waiting, ready to grill him with questions concerning his whereabouts, and eventually leading to how their marriage fell apart with problems like these; but then again, he was sitting on a bench, listening to the peaceful roll of the waves, so why couldn't he stay? Maybe he could wait until Miss French left, she had to leave sometime soon, being the town's only librarian.

He set the cup down, and packed his trash back into its brown paper bag. He reached to the side, expecting to just finish his coffee, and finally go home, but what he didn't expect was the hand he placed his palm around that was wrapped around his coffee cup. Gold stared at Belle with curiosity, and she looked back, tilting her head sideways before smiling. He finally realized he was still holding her hand, and he pulled back so suddenly that he nearly knocked over his cane that rested beside him. She, on the other hand, acted as if it was normal to drink another man's coffee. Her head nodded towards something beside him, and before he could say or do anything else, she closed her book and walked away; skirt swaying side to side like he knew it would.

Gold was so confused by this strange woman who actually drank his coffee, then walked away with it. He looked back to his right to retrieve his cane when he saw an almost full cup of coffee sitting on the bench. His cup of coffee.

~ The next day ~

Mr. Gold was cleaning up the shop, wiping the windows and glass cabinets. He usually didn't ever clean, but he did have the free time, and the shop was getting a little stuffy. He noticed a familiar leather book on a table by the door, as he walked closer he realized it was Belle's. Gold picked up the book, and saw a note sticking out, that read "Gold". Removing the note, he unfolded it, and almost dropped the book from the cursive words on the little paper. "Thanks for the coffee kiss. Maybe we could go for another. Signed, Belle French".