He's Not Always A Beast (Rumplestiltskin x Reader)

Chapter 10: I'll Protect You From Your Fears

(1218 words) 

Your POV 

Sitting up, I stretched and smiled gently. Looking around the room, I ran a hand through my hair and hummed. Getting out of my bed, I quickly got dressed and went to find Rumple. Walking up behind him, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he had his back to me, kissing his neck gently once I moved his hair. 

"Morning, Rumple." 

"Someone is in a good mood." 

"That happens when you wake up in a bed and not a cell." 

Sitting next to him as he was looking at his spinning wheel, I noticed that the basket that the gold collects in was dry. Tiling my head as I looked at him, I gave a sweet smile. 

"Don't look at me like that, dearie." 

"Why not? Does it work?" 

He sighed gently and nodded. "Go get your cloak, we should go for a walk." 

Nodding I smiled before leaning over and kissing him gently. Pulling away I made my way towards the stairs. 

"I'll be right back." 

Getting up to my room as quickly as I could, I smiled gently and opened the wardrobe to find a long black velvet cloak with gold trim. Smiling gently as I put it on and clasped the front. Looking in the mirror I smiled to myself, jumping when I heard a voice. 

"Don't you look ravishing?" 

"Rumple, don't do that you'll give me a heart attack." 

He hummed gently as he stepped into the mirror and looked at our reflections. "Ready to go, dearie?" he asked as I nodded. Giving me his arm, I looped mine around his and smiled as we made our way towards the foyer. 

Getting into the foyer he waved his hands and the large doors opened and closed behind us once we were away from the doors. Breathing in the crisp autumn air I looked around. I could hear the birds chirp as we walked along the small path. 

"I noticed that you look outside a lot." 

"Is that why we're on a walk?" I asked 

He nodded gently. "The fresh air is nice too, good for the skin," he said and smiled. 

I giggled and nodded. "I forget how beautiful the Enchanted Forest is, but I've lived in it for so long that I became blind to it." 

Tilting my head as I looked at a box elder tree, I turned my head as I looked at him again. 

"What would you say if I asked you to a ball?" 

Raising a brow I looked at him and smiled. 

"A ball? Are you going to throw one at the Dark Castle?" 

"I could throw one at our castle, but no one would show up. Though I can crash one that an old student of mine is holding." 

"Who would that be?" 

"No one for you to worry yourself about meeting." 

"Even if she's your former student?" 

"Even then, love." 

Pouting as I lost that battle, I smiled as I heard his nickname. He looked at me before he smiled too. 

"Why are you smiling like that?" 

"You called me 'love'." 

He looked down before he turned and looked away. "Perhaps I did." 

Stepping closer to him I smiled gently, wrapping my arms around him I looked at his eyes before I reached up and kissed him. I felt his hands find their way to my waist as he returned it. Pulling away he looked at me, his hands still around me. 

"We should get inside, a storm is coming." 

Nodding gently as I smiled for a moment, taking his hand we made our way back into the castle. That was when it hit me, it was going to storm. That meant rain, thunder, and lightning, oh my. I've never told anyone of this, but I've always been terrified of storms since that night. 

Rumple stopped and looked at me, concern in his face. 

"What are you worried about?" 

"You said it was going to storm. I'm um... Terrified of thunder and lightning." 

He turned to me for a moment and then glanced at the thunder clouds as they were in the distance. 

"That's simple then, I'll protect you from your fears." 

Blushing gently I looked at him. "Don't you want to get some spinning done?" 

He shook his head and waved his hand. "No, I can do that any day, you're more important to me." 

Smiling as I looked down, bashfully. I nodded and we continued inside. Getting inside he used magic to put our cloaks away, watching as they both float up to their respective places in our rooms. Tilting my head as I watched them ascend the stairs. 

I heard his shoes click across the floor before I turned and hurried after him. Getting my rag as he had a kettle and tea set appear, I started to dust. Being trapped in my thoughts I hummed gently as I cleaned. That was before I heard the first clap of thunder. Hitting the floor, I ducked with my hands around my ears. 

Feeling a hand on me, I looked through blurry eyes to see Rumple. Smiling gently at me, he helped me off the floor. Sniffing slightly, he wiped a tear away as it fell. Another clap came, and I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face into his vest. His hands rested on my back as he leaned his cheek against my head. 

I was tense as I held onto him, shaking gently. His voice broke my thoughts and the sound of the rain hitting the glass as he started to hum. Relaxing in his hold as I listened to his humming I joined in and did the same. 

Being the higher octave to his song, I smiled gently as we started to sway a little. Looking at him I smiled gently. My tears were gone and my smile returned. 

"There's that smile I missed." 

Giggling as I kissed him gently I looked at him, putting my hands on his chest. "If we're to be attending that ball, you should teach me some ballroom dances, since I'm very unpracticed." 

Smiling gently I watched as he bowed to me before holding his hand out towards me. Giving my best curtsy I took his hand, he pulled me closer to him, before he stopped. 

"Before we do that, you need a proper dress." He snapped his fingers for a moment and my dress changed. It became fuller and reached the floor, looking at it as I grabbed small portions of it and picked it up as I admired the silk fabric. It was a robin's egg blue. Fading from a white at the shoulders, to the light blue around the end of the bodice, and a navy at the bottom, little rhinestones acting as stars at the bottom. 

Spinning around as it fluttered out a little, I looked at him and smiled. "It's beautiful." 

"A beautiful gown for a beautiful girl," he said before I stepped over to him again. 

"What should I learn first?" 

"A waltz would be a good start," he said before he started to break down the steps and count. I listened and hung on to his every word as if I would die if I didn't. 

~

You guys got a bonus chapter because I forgot to upload it last week.